


Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Coulson Lives, Crossover, F/M, Kidfic, M/M, Mpreg, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-24
Updated: 2013-04-23
Packaged: 2017-11-26 18:14:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 177,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Voldemort defeated and Harry turning seventeen, the elder Weasley boys decide to give him a chance to be a normal teenager for a while; namely, by buying him a ticket to Malibu, California. But of course, Harry Potter can never do anything normally. Especially not once he meets Tony Stark in a club, and begins a holiday romance that leaves him with more than just memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the purposes of this story, Harry was born in 1986, and Tony in 1973.
> 
> Also, this story is being translated into Chinese, and that can be read here http://www.mtslash.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=88252&extra=page%3D1 though I do believe you need to have an account on the site to read it :)
> 
> And it's being translated into French here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9474687/1/La-preuve-que-Tony-Stark-a-un-coeur

Harry grinned as he watched Ron fumble in an attempt to ask Hermione to dance, the loud, pulsing music drowning out half of his words. His first proper birthday party ever, and he was loving it.

“Oi, Harry!” a voice called, and Harry turned, smiling as Bill, Charlie and the twins approached him.

“Hey, guys,” he greeted happily, allowing the twins to pop up either side of him, their arms around his shoulders.

“Oh Harry, brother dear,”

“Us older, more gifted Weasleys thought,”

“That you deserved something a little more special,”

“On your coming of age,” they told him, their alternating sentences too familiar now to confuse him. He raised an eyebrow, and Bill and Charlie grinned.

“What they’re trying to say is, we got you a little something extra,” Charlie supplied. Harry blushed slightly.

“Guys, you didn’t have to, what you already got me is more than enough,” he insisted, thinking of the presents he had already opened from the four brothers. Bill rolled his eyes, ruffling Harry’s hair.

“No, but we wanted to. You deserve a bit of a break after all this chaos, so we got you this,” he said, handing Harry a plain white envelope. “Go on, open it,” he urged, an excited grin on his face. Harry apprehensively slit the top of the envelope, pulling out a single piece of paper. Examining it more closely, his jaw dropped. 

“Guys, I… wow…” he breathed, awestruck. They’d gotten him a first-class ticket to Malibu, California. “This is… wow.”

“You like it? It’s a two-week trip, you’ll be home in time to see everyone off to school and get started on your St Mungo’s courses,” Charlie explained. Harry wouldn’t be returning for his seventh year; Dumbledore had arranged for him to take his NEWTs at the end of his 6th year, after extensive tutoring, in case the war escalated to the point where Harry wouldn’t be able to return. Fortunately, Voldemort had attacked, as usual, at the very end of the school year, and Harry had finally been able to defeat him with the help of both the Order and the DA. Now, Harry was planning on starting healer training when all his friends went back to Hogwarts.

“Guys, this is incredible! I… thank you,” he said sincerely, pulling all four redheads into a strange sort-of group hug. 

“You’re welcome, Harry,” George replied with a smile.

“We had a bit of help from Remus and Dumbledore, but we’ve sorted out hotel details and the like, everything is taken care of. All you need to do is go and enjoy yourself, like any other seventeen year-old boy. Think you can handle that?” Bill asked him with a grin. Harry laughed, nodding.

“Yeah, I think I can manage being normal for two weeks. Thanks, guys. This is awesome,” he said again, beaming. Fred ruffled his hair, grinning mischievously.

“Brilliant! You leave tomorrow,” he chirped, causing Harry’s eyes to widen.

“Tomorrow? But what about packing?”

“All taken care of, Remus packed for you. Though I’m sure there’ll be room in your bags for anything he’s missed out,” Fred interrupted. Harry paused, then broke out into a grin.

“Then I’d better make the most of today, hadn’t I?”

.-.

The next morning found Harry, having taken an anti-hangover potion helpfully provided by Remus, rushing about his room, checking that absolutely everything he needed was packed. Of course, Remus hadn’t let him see what he’d already packed, so it was up to Harry to assume by what was missing from his room. From what he could see, everything he might need was packed; he trusted Remus, the man knew him better than anyone and knew what Harry would want with him. The only thing Remus had told him was that the two-way mirror was in his bag, should he get homesick or just want to chat. Harry was thankful for that; he’d never even left Britain before, he didn’t know how he’d fare all the way over in America.

A knock on the doorframe startled him out of his thoughts, and he grinned at the man standing there. “Hey, Remus. Everything alright?” he asked, making Remus roll his eyes.

“Everything is fine, Harry. You ready to go? You need to be at the airport in about fifteen minutes,” he informed him. Harry smiled, excitement and anticipation pumping through his body. 

“Yeah, I’m ready. Where are my bags?” he queried. Remus held up a dark green rucksack, smiling widely. 

“Everything is in here. I figured you wouldn’t want to be weighed down by a huge suitcase, so it’s shrunk in here. There’s some other stuff, too, to keep you occupied. It’ll be a long flight,” he added. Harry smiled, shouldering the rucksack.

“Brilliant, thanks. Have I got apparition coordinates, or a taxi, or…?” he trailed off, and Remus reached into his pocket, pulling out several folded sheets of paper.

“This has everything you’ll need to know on it,” he assured. “Apparition coordinates, flight times, layover details, hotel details. All the official stuff is in the black plastic envelope in your bag, but this is the important information.” Harry raised an eyebrow, looking over the paper; sure enough, Remus had written out just about everything he could possibly need.

“You really do think of everything,” he mused wryly, making the werewolf chuckle. “I’d better get a move on, then,” he added, checking his watch. He looked up, a lump forming in his throat at the thought of leaving. He hadn’t been away from Remus for so long since he’d moved in. The older man smiled, drawing him into a rib-crushing hug.

“Have fun,” he ordered. “Relax, let go, and enjoy yourself. But stay safe.” Harry laughed, hugging back before releasing him, grinning.

“I always try and stay safe, Rem,” he insisted earnestly. “It just doesn’t exactly work out that way.” Remus snorted, rolling his eyes and shoving his shoulder gently.

“Go on, you brat,” he urged lightly. “Go catch your flight. I love you.” Harry smiled, feeling the ever-present warmth in his chest grow at hearing the words.

“Love you, too,” he replied, glancing down at the coordinates on the paper. Closing his eyes to memorise them properly, he briefly cracked one eye open, grinning at his pseudo-godfather, before he was gone.

.-.

Harry arrived in a small, empty room with nothing more than a fireplace and a jar of floo powder in it, and assumed it was the wizarding area of the airport. Shrugging to himself, he walked out, feeling the tingle of notice-me-not wards passing over him on his way out. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw a nondescript door with a ‘staff only’ sign, and smiled to himself. Looking around, his eyes went slightly wider at the large airport full of people, and he resisted the urge to scan for possible threats. The war was over, he didn’t need to anymore. Seeing a sign for check-in, Harry wandered in that direction, looking at the paper in his hand to find his flight number to he could join the appropriate queue. 

Due to his lack of baggage, check-in was incredibly easy for Harry, and he breezed through customs with no problems thanks to some minor charms on the bag that wouldn’t affect the machines. Slipping his shoes back on and hoisting his bag further up his shoulder, he walked into the main part of the airport, looking at the many shops available to him. With a glance at the board, he saw his flight wasn’t even close to boarding yet, and his stomach rumbled pointedly. Grinning ruefully to himself, he changed course to the nearest Starbucks, figuring food and coffee would be enough to tide him over until lunch. 

Sat in the corner with a large cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich, Harry unzipped his rucksack for the first time, deciding to see what Remus had packed to entertain him for the nine-hour flight. Several books, both muggle and magical fiction, as well as a notepad and pens, and his iPod. He laughed when he saw Remus had also included his Gringotts portfolio; it looked like he wouldn’t be getting out of signing the damn thing any time soon. Sipping at his coffee, Harry figured he might as well start now, and pulled out the thick folder and a pen, flipping it open to the first page. Bank statements. Joys.

.-.

Harry was pulled out of his trance when his watch bleeped at him, and his eyebrows shot up; two hours had passed already? He gathered his things, stuffing everything back into his rucksack, and stuffed the last of his chocolate brownie in his mouth, getting to his feet. Peering at the board on his way out, he saw his gate number, and immediately head towards the signs pointing to the gates. After a ridiculously long walk through winding corridors, he eventually arrived at his gate, groaning silently at the full-looking waiting area. He spotted a single free chair off to his left and darted towards it, dropping down quickly before it could be taken. At least he wouldn’t have to be sat there very long. 

He pulled out one of the books Remus had left him, cracking it open to the first page, but only managed ten pages before the woman behind the desk announced boarding. Dog-earing the page and slipping it in his bag, he pulled out his boarding pass and passport, amused at the fake name on both. He wondered who the genius behind ‘Evan Black’ was. Still, it could have been worse. Passing the documents to the smiling security woman, he waited for her to check them over and hand them back, before following the long line of people through the tunnel towards the plane. He had to admit, he was excited; every time the Dursleys had gone on holiday without him, he’d had to listen to Dudley go on and on about how cool flying in a plane was. Now he’d finally get to experience it himself. 

He found his seat without too much trouble, taking his book from his bag and stowing it in the overhead locker. He had the aisle seat, and next to him at the window was a woman who looked to be in her late twenties, with iPod earbuds in her ears. He pulled his own from his pocket, starting it up and slipping his earbuds in, resuming his reading.

Harry barely even noticed when the flight attendants started giving safety information, but he supposed it didn’t really matter; should anything happen, he could just apparate out. Eventually, however, the plane started to move forward slowly, and the excitement churned in Harry’s stomach, making him feel like a small child. Outwardly he was perfectly calm, but for the minor tightening of his grip on his book, but his eyes were flicking to the window every so often, and a grin tugged at his lips as they gained speed, finally lifting off the ground with a lurch that reminded him of the feeling he got when he pulled out of a sharp dive on his broom. 

After the initial take-off, the motion of the plane was relatively uninteresting; he could barely even feel it moving at all. Smiling politely at the flight attendant who offered him a drink, he allowed himself to get engrossed in his music and book. He was in for a long ride.

.-.-.

After a short layover in Dallas, and a journey in a far smaller plane, Harry was finally stepping into the airport in Malibu, the sweltering heat immediately making him wish he’d worn shorts. He breezed through baggage collection and straight to the arrivals lounge, wandering over to the nearest help desk. “Excuse me, I was wondering if you could tell me the best way to get to the Silver Sands hotel?” he queried, offering a smile to the man behind the desk. He smiled back warmly, gesturing to the doors just to his left

“Your best bet would be to get a taxi. The bay is a little ways down there if you turn left when you exit the airport,” he explained, and Harry grinned.

“Thanks,” he replied, hitching his bag further up his shoulder and heading in the direction pointed out to him. The taxi bay was fairly busy, but Harry managed to hop in the back of one as it pulled up, smiling at the driver. 

“Where to, kid?” he queried, raising an eyebrow at him through the rear view mirror. 

“Silver Sands hotel, please,” Harry requested. The driver nodded, pulling out to overtake the parked taxis, and set out on the road. 

“This your first time in the US?” the driver asked curiously, and Harry nodded.

“Yeah.” The man grinned, pulling up to a set of traffic lights.

“You’re in for a hell of a time, then. Malibu’s the party city; don’t expect to get much sleep.” Harry laughed, smirking.

“Sounds like my kind of place. Anywhere you’d recommend?” The driver shrugged, eyes still on the road.

“How old are you? Twenty, twenty-one?” Harry raised an eyebrow at that, not thinking he looked that much older than he actually was.

“Just turned twenty one,” he replied, deciding to go with the age on his fake ID. 

“Then you’ll want to head to Meltdown, it’s a club by the beach, pretty classy but definitely worth it if you can get it. My daughter and her friends love it, and apparently it’s where some of the celebrities party.” 

“I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled when I go there, then,” Harry assured with a smirk, making a mental note of the name. Anywhere the locals recommended had to be good.

They pulled up outside a hotel with a large sign reading ‘Silver Sands’ in cursive silver lettering, and Harry pulled out his wallet, shuffling out of the taxi with his bag over his shoulder. Paying the driver and wishing him a good day, Harry walked through the automatic doors, smiling at the sleek interior of the hotel. Whichever of the Weasley boys had picked the hotel, they’d picked a good one. Checking in under the name Black, Harry was given a key card and directed to the sixth floor. Checking his room number, Harry followed the signs, eyes going wide when he opened the door. “Oh, those boys are getting bloody brilliant Christmas presents this year,” he murmured to himself, a grin splitting his face as he surveyed his room. He had a suite, with a huge living room and enormous TV, complete with DVD player. There was a small kitchenette with a fridge and minibar, and the bedroom was unnecessarily large, and had another TV. Even the bathroom was huge, the bath claiming jacuzzi settings and the shower having more dials and buttons than Harry knew what to do with. Still, he had two weeks to figure it out. 

Grinning widely, he threw himself down on the bed, rummaging through his rucksack for his shrunken suitcase. Resizing it, he leant back and lazily directed the clothes to start unpacking themselves, reaching for the TV remote and the room service menu. If he was going to spend two weeks in Malibu, he might as well make the most of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry's first day in Malibu began with a long run across the beach at six in the morning. Due to conflicting time-zones, he found himself waking obscenely early, and decided to make the most of it, donning shorts and a t-shirt and heading out into the early morning sunshine. He wasn't the only one about, and he garnered several waves from fellow runners or surfers, taking advantage of the near-emptiness of the beachfront. It made him glad his hotel was where it was; the beach was within five minutes walking distance, and from what he gathered from the map in his hotel room, it was only a short distance from most other things as well, such as the shopping mall and the city centre.

After his run, he went back to his hotel room and spent an entertaining ten minutes figuring out how to work the shower. Clean and in fresh clothes, Harry decided to take advantage of the inclusive breakfast served by the hotel, going down to the restaurant and eating his fill from the open buffet. "Don't suppose you could recommend anything entertaining to do around here? It's my first day," he asked the girl behind the reception desk, who blushed faintly, giggling.

"Well the city's always nice in the early morning. It's probably best to stay inside between about noon and three, with that fair skin of yours," she added in concern, eyeing his pale arms and face. He smiled ruefully, nodding in acceptance. "Um, there's surfing lessons on the beach, if you're interested, and a company down at the docks does trips out to swim with the tropical fish, but you have to book in advance for that. Other than that, I'd say just walk or get a taxi to the city and have a look around, see what strikes your interest. I can guarantee there's something for everyone around here," she told him brightly, smiling. Harry smiled back, nodding in thanks.

"Wandering it is, then," he declared with a grin, making her giggle. "Thanks for the help, have a nice day." He left through the hotel doors, declining the doorman's offer of a taxi, and turned in the direction he knew — at least, he hoped — would lead him to the city centre. Hands in the pockets of his shorts, he allowed himself to enjoy the scenery as he walked; it was so very different to England and what he was used to. He squinted in the light, making a mental note not to forget his sunglasses next time, and crossed a busy road to find himself nearing the city centre, and the crowded streets. He didn't know where to look as he was confronted by shops selling just about everything imaginable, and suddenly his Gringotts card was burning a hole in his pocket. He smirked, remembering the numbers on his portfolio, which he had skimmed through the night before. He could more than afford to splurge a little.

.-.

By early afternoon, Harry was obeying the receptionist's advice and staying inside; which had the minor downside of placing him in the enormous shopping mall in the centre of the city. He already had several bags hanging off his arms, full of both things for himself and gifts to take back home; at least he didn't have to worry about fitting it all in his suitcase to travel home. There was just far more variety than he was used to, especially having to stick mostly to Diagon Alley. He didn't often get the opportunity to shop in London, but he was thinking he'd have to start when he got home; muggles definitely had better fashion sense than wizards.

He paused outside a shop, suddenly struck with a thought; he didn't think he had any club-appropriate clothes with him. He'd never been to a club before, and he doubted any of his clothes were suited for it. Most of what he owned was either very casual, or very smart. Grinning to himself, he ducked into a bathroom to shrink some of his bags and lighten his load, setting out with a new determination. If he was going to blend in with your average Malibu 21 year-old, he'd have to spend some money.

Starting at a store selling smart-casual men's clothing, Harry decided to try on whatever took his fancy, which ended up being rather a lot. The increasing pile of shopping bags didn't faze him, however; he'd been shopping with Ginny before. Still, by the time he was finished, it was nearing five, and he decided to call it a day and get back to the hotel room. He'd been awake for almost twelve hours, and was starting to lag.

He got a taxi back to the hotel, too tired to walk the fifteen minute distance, and leaned against the mirrored wall of the elevator as it took him up to his floor, wincing at the reddening stripe across his nose and cheeks, and the large pink patches on the tops of his arms. Despite his best efforts, he'd still managed to catch the sun; thankfully, wizarding aftersun was far more effective — and far faster — than the muggle stuff. Dumping his bags on the sofa in the living room, he collapsed down beside them, groaning at the slight ache in his legs and shoulders. He hadn't expected the heat to take so much out of him, but he was exhausted! As much as he wanted to find a nice beachfront restaurant nearby and have dinner, he didn't think he could move now he'd sat down.

Harry ordered room service after over an hour of lying on the sofa and channel-surfing, which only continued when his meal was with him. He couldn't help but snort when he thought of what the Weasley boys would say if he told them he'd spent his first day of holiday freedom running, shopping and getting room service. They'd probably disown him for his dullness. Making a mental promise to try and socialise the next day, he picked a film at random and tugged the blanket off the back of the sofa to cover himself with; compared to the heat of the day, his room was a little chilly.

.-.-.

He allowed himself to sleep in the next day, it being a Saturday, and had breakfast at a little cafe two streets away that was pointed out to him by the receptionist. The man was right; they did fantastic pancakes. Hitting the beach again, this time prepared with swim shorts and a towel, Harry staked out a spot far enough from the water's edge that he wouldn't be in jeopardy should the tide come in quickly. There were a group of teenagers, probably a couple of years older than he was, playing volleyball a few feet away, the girls dressed in skimpy bikinis and pretending to be bad at the game to get the boys to 'help' them, and the boys all shirtless and happily flexing their muscles to show off.

His eyes lingered on the group for some while, taking advantage of his sunglasses to admire without seeming creepy, though it took him several moments to notice that the staring was mutual. One of the boys — a brunette with a golden tan and your typical surfer boy body — was definitely eyeing him in return. Grinning slightly, Harry continued as if he hadn't noticed, lying back on his towel. He wished he had a book, or something, to keep him occupied. "Hey, dude!" It took him a couple of moments to realise the shout was directed at him, and his eyebrows rose when he saw a petite blonde girl running over to him from the volleyball court. "We could do with an extra guy to make teams even, and you look like you'd be good at it. Wanna play with us?" she asked, offering a smile that was definitely flirtatious. Harry smiled back tentatively, shrugging.

"Sure, why not," he agreed, pushing himself to his feet. "But I'll warn you now, I've never played before."

"Oh my God, are you British?" she asked, making him chuckle.

"I am, yes. I'm Harry," he added, holding out a hand for her to shake.

"That is so hot," she murmured, before biting her lip and blushing when she realised she'd spoken aloud. "I'm Kayla." She took his hand, using it to drag him over to the volleyball court. "He's in, guys! And he's British." Several eyes widened at the announcement, and Harry suddenly found himself on the receiving end of even more appreciative looks. Was the British accent really considered that sexy?

"Hi, everyone. Like I said to Kayla, don't blame me if I suck; I've never played before. I'm Harry."

"It's okay, Harry," the brunette who he'd caught eyeing him earlier said, clapping him on the shoulder with a languid smile. "I'm sure you'll pick it up real quickly. I'm Josh, and that's Sarah and Mike. On the other team you've got Daniel, Becca, Hailey, Connor and Asher." Each person waved as their name was said, and Harry waved back. "You know how to play, right?"

"Uh, vaguely? It's pretty much just hit the ball over the net, and don't let it touch the ground, right?" Josh laughed, grinning.

"Pretty much," he confirmed. "Let's see how good you are, then." They all spread out around the court, and Mike served the ball hard over to the other team, only for Becca to hit it back right at Harry. Panicking slightly, Harry swung his fist underneath the ball like he'd seen the others do, and was surprised when the ball went flying over the net, landing in a clear spot just before Connor could dive for it.

"I thought you said you'd never played before?" Kayla asked with a smirk, and Harry shrugged.

"I haven't. Beginner's luck?" he suggested. His team grinned at him, and Josh's hand came back on his shoulder.

"Let's hope that luck continues then, hmm?" he drawled, winking.

Harry turned out to be pretty good at volleyball, if he did say so himself. He managed to keep up with the others well enough, at least. "Hey, guys, let's break for food. I'm starved," Asher declared, and there were emphatic agreements from the rest of the group.

"You wanna join us, Harry?" Josh asked, surprising the Brit.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Harry allowed himself to be led to their spot, sighing in relief as he stood under the large parasols.

"Wow," Josh murmured, suddenly very close. "Looks like you caught the sun quite a bit." The older teen's hands were on Harry's bare shoulders, and Harry felt warm at the touch.

"I probably did," he agreed, hoping his voice stayed even. "I'm British, we burn easily."

"You should put some more sunscreen on," Kayla told him, handing him a bag of crisps, a sandwich and a bottle of water. "You can borrow some if you want. I'm sure Josh would be happy to do your back." She smirked at him, making him blush.

"Yeah, uh, maybe in a bit." He took a free seat on the edge of a sun lounger, unsurprised when Josh sat down next to him. He wasn't all that used to the attention — not from people who didn't know who he was, at least — but he liked it.

"So what brings you to sunny California, then?" Daniel asked, sitting down opposite with a large sandwich in his hands.

"The plane tickets were a birthday present, actually. From my older brothers," Harry explained. "Apparently they thought I could do with a break, and I can't say I'm complaining." Daniel snickered, nodding.

"Who would? You here alone, then?" Harry nodded, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Yeah, I leave on the 15th," he explained once he'd swallowed, trying not to react when Josh shifted so their thighs pressed together.

"Maybe we might see you again, then?" the brunette mused. "We'll be out here most of the week. It'd be pretty cool to hang out with you some more."

"I'll definitely keep that in mind," Harry replied, offering a grin. Conversation slowed a little while everyone ate, and Harry was happy to sit and listen to the group of friends talk to and about each other, pulse a little higher than usual due to Josh's constant little touches. He was definitely being flirted with.

When they finished eating, Harry glanced at his watch, frowning. "I should probably get going," he said somewhat reluctantly. If he was going to go to Meltdown, he'd have to shower and change. Plus, the heat was starting to get to him.

"Aww, really?" Kayla pouted, and several others made disappointed noises. "Well thanks for playing with us, Harry, and I guess we'll just hope to see you around soon." Harry made his goodbyes, standing up, and was surprised when Josh stood too.

"I'll help you get your stuff together," he offered, walking with Harry back over to where he'd left his towel, shoes and sunscreen. Harry didn't comment, and gave a tentative smile when he knelt down to roll up his towel. "Don't suppose there's any chance of me getting your number, huh?" Josh queried, making Harry blush.

"I, uh, don't actually have a phone. Left it at home, since it's so expensive to text over here," he lied.

"Oh, right, of course," Josh realised, somewhat sheepish. "Well, either way, it was nice to meet you. And if you wanna go out sometime before you head home, just come find me; like I said, we'll be out here most of the week." Harry straightened up, towel under his arm, and flushed when Josh stepped closer.

"Yeah. I might take you up on that," he replied coyly, making Josh grin. Before Harry could blink, the taller teen leant in, sneaking a brief kiss.

"I'm sorry, I just had to do that," Josh told him, smiling. Harry chuckled, feeling his cheeks heat.

"That's definitely not the goodbye I was expecting. I don't mind it, though." He shuddered when Josh laid a hand on his hip, eyes darkening faintly.

"Then you wouldn't mind me doing it again?" Harry swallowed, tilting his head up expectantly, and Josh's lips pressed against his properly this time, tongue sneaking out to urge Harry's lips to part. They broke the kiss after several long moments, both flushed but grinning.

"I'll, uh, see you around, yeah?" Harry confirmed, slightly breathless. Josh nodded, dropping his hand from Harry's back.

"Yeah. Cool. See you around, Harry." Harry turned away, walking up to the path back towards his hotel, willing the blush on his cheeks to fade. Josh was… nice. He doubted he'd see him again, but it was still very nice to get that sort of attention from an attractive guy. He'd always had to be wary back home; the people who came onto him were almost always purely interested because he was Harry Potter. It was a definite boost to his self-confidence to know that people found him attractive even when they didn't know who he was.

He had a slight spring in his step on the walk back to his hotel room, grinning foolishly to himself. Maybe he would find someone to spend a little time with at Meltdown; wasn't that the reason most people went to clubs? He knew it was why people went to the few clubs in Diagon Alley, he'd heard about them from Fred and George. He'd never had the courage to go himself, though, knowing he'd only get mobbed. Whenever he did end up having company of that sort, it had always been at Hogwarts, and never very often. Never more than snogging and a quick grope, either; he didn't trust anyone at Hogwarts not to sell him out to the papers for going any further. He really didn't want his loss of virginity to be front-page news.

Sprawling out on the couch once he got back to his room, Harry turned on the TV, looking for a movie to watch. He was definitely enjoying having muggle comforts at his disposal, and made a note to see if he could get a TV back at Grimmauld. He knew plenty of other half-blood and muggleborn wizards had them, and figured that only large bursts of magic would cause them to malfunction. He barely used his magic anymore anyway, so it wouldn't be that big a deal to him.

He ordered room service as it got later, and hopped in the shower while waiting for it to arrive, excitement running through him at the prospect of going clubbing. Wandering out of the bathroom in just a towel, he threw open the wardrobe doors, eyeing his new clothes speculatively. He didn't want to go too out there for his first time out. Eventually, Harry decided on a pair of tight black jeans and a short-sleeved emerald green shirt, the top two buttons undone. The buzzer went, and he grinned, stomach rumbling; his food had arrived. Thanking the porter, Harry settled down to watch TV while eating his dinner, keeping an eye on the clock. He wasn't in any rush; he had all night.

Practically bouncing with excitement and nerves as he laced up his boots, Harry grabbed his wallet with the fake ID in it, checking he had enough cash on him. Stopping at the mirror, he ran a hand through his hair, before giving up on it with a sigh; it was a lost cause, as always. Still, he thought he looked pretty good. Grinning to himself, he took a steadying breath, and walked out the door.

.-.-.

Harry grinned as he entered the club, the fluorescent colours and deafeningly loud music making it impossible for him to stay tense. Weaving through the writhing mass of dancers on the floor, gaining a few odd gropes or quick dances on the way, he leant against the bar, seeking out the barman. "Give me something with a kick to it," he requested, holding up the fake ID to the man. He nodded with a smirk, mixing up a cocktail with such speed Harry didn't even try and keep track of what went in. When he was finished, it was a luminous green colour, and looked mildly radioactive. Paying for it, Harry took a sip, his eyes widening. Damn, that was good! Not as powerful as Firewhisky, mind, but it still had a hell of a spark to it. "Keep the change!" Harry yelled to the barman, saluting him with the bright drink. The barman grinned, nodding in thanks, then moved to serve the next person. Taking another sip of his drink and letting out a happy sigh, Harry sat and observed the dancing crush of bodies. Oh, yes, tonight was going to be fun.

.-.

An hour later, Harry had consumed two more of the green drinks, and was only pleasantly buzzed, dancing with a group of total strangers who were a lot less sober than he was. He thanked his magic – and the elder Weasley boys for teaching him how to hold his liquor with goblin-made gin, the strongest stuff in the world – that he had such a high alcohol tolerance; he wanted to drink enough to lose some inhibitions, not vomit or pass out like he'd seen several people do over the years.

Giving 'his' group a smile, he gestured to the bar, gaining a few haphazard nods as he made his way over, hailing the barman. "Another one?" the man, Cody, asked skeptically, and Harry grinned.

"Hell yes," he replied, knowing Cody was probably wondering how the hell he was still standing.

"You got a lot of guts, kid, I'll give you that," Cody told him, mixing up another drink with ease. Harry laughed.

"That, or a lot of stupidity," he replied, moving to get his wallet.

"This one's on me, Cody," a voice interrupted, and Harry looked up to see a handsome man, probably in his late twenties, leaning against the bar beside him. Cody nodded, moving to the till.

"Yes, sir." Harry turned to thank the man, and his eyebrows went up when he got a better look at him.

"You're Tony Stark," he realised, having seen articles about Stark Industries in the muggle news and heard a ton about him from Hermione. The man smirked.

"Why yes, I am. Now that's hardly fair; you know my name, I don't know yours," Tony retorted playfully, mischief clear in his dark eyes.

"Evan. Evan Black," Harry replied, using the name on his ID. Tony smirked.

"Pleasure to meet you, Evan Black," he greeted, taking Harry's hand in his and kissing the back of it. Harry blushed slightly, but gave the older man a smile. "Come, sit with me," Tony urged, placing the hand that wasn't holding his scotch on the small of Harry's back, using it to guide him through the crowd towards an empty booth, a heavily muscled man in a suit standing beside it; a bodyguard. Tony ushered Harry into the booth, sliding in beside him, their thighs touching. Harry's heart raced, well aware that he was being hit on. He didn't quite know how to take it; Tony was clearly incredibly handsome, he'd be blind not to think so, but Harry knew it was different from Josh's lighthearted flirting. Tony would only want one thing — sex. Did he really want to give his virginity to a man who was obviously only interested in a one-night stand? "So, that's not an American accent," Tony began, his arm draped casually over the back of the chair, his fingers just brushing Harry's shoulder. Harry chuckled.

"No, it's not. British born and raised, I'm afraid," he told him. Tony smirked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Cute. What brings you out here, then; business or pleasure?"

"A hundred percent pleasure; My brothers thought I could use a break," Harry replied with a grin. Tony let out a small laugh.

"And what better place to take it than Malibu?" he remarked. "You here with anyone? Girlfriend? …Boyfriend?"

"Nah, just me. I've had to entertain myself for the past few days," Harry answered, keeping his eyes on Tony's. It was difficult, especially when they kept straying to… other places. Really, wearing jeans that tight was just sinful. Tony moved his mouth closer to Harry's ear, his hand on the younger man's knee.

"I could… entertain you for a while. If you'd like," he murmured, his voice husky. Yup, that settled it. He was definitely being propositioned. And, he decided, as Tony's hand slowly moved up his thigh, he found he didn't mind much.

"What, not even going to ask me to dance, first? You're slipping, Mr Stark," he teased daringly. Tony growled, nipping at Harry's ear.

"It's Tony to you, gorgeous. And you wanna dance, then let's dance." Tony downed his drink, Harry already having done so with his, and the next thing he knew, Tony had pulled him out to the floor, his hands gripping Harry's hips. Harry grinned breathlessly, letting the sway of the music pull him, ignoring the jealous glances he was getting from half the population of the club. Tony pulled him closer, grinding up against him, obviously aroused. Harry smirked, pressing himself against the other man suggestively. There was just something about Tony that turned him on to the point of frustration, and he figured he should let the other man know what he was doing to him. Tony let out a quiet moan, leaning down slightly to speak into Harry's ear. "Fuck dancing, let's get out of here," he suggested, fixing a lustful gaze on the green-eyed young man. Harry smirked and nodded, deciding that for once, his conscience could go fuck itself. He was going to have sex with Tony Stark. Wasn't sex something normal 17 year-olds did? He knew that most of the other people in his year had done it; hell, even Ginny had done it! He didn't want to be a virgin anymore, and a muggle like Tony was one person he could be sure wouldn't go running to the press about sleeping with the Boy-Who-Lived.

Tony led him out of the club, the bodyguard following a few steps behind, and towards a flashy-looking black car, the Stark Industries logo on the back proclaiming it to be one of Tony's personal creations. Tony opened the door, allowing Harry to get into the spacious car. Tony followed behind him, pressing a button that Harry assumed was some sort of intercom to the partitioned-off driver. "Take us home, Hogan," he requested, not waiting for a reply before fixing predatory eyes on Harry. Harry smirked, moving closer to Tony, before his lips were captured in a fierce kiss. Fuck, that man could kiss. No wonder Tony was a renowned playboy; Harry couldn't help but wonder what else that mouth could do.

Hands slid under his shirt, mapping his skin, and Harry moaned as fingers brushed across the sensitive spot on his hip that had once been a scar. Sliding until he was straddling Tony's lap, he ground into him, causing the man to moan loudly, the sound shooting straight to Harry's groin. This was comfortable territory; he knew what he was doing with this. Feeling Tony's hands tangle in his hair, Harry began to work on the buttons of the other man's shirt, growling in frustration when he found a plain white vest underneath it, blocking his view of skin.

All too soon, in Harry's opinion, the car came to a halt in the expansive driveway of Tony's mansion. Allowing Tony to take him by the hand with a mischievous grin, he was momentarily awed by the sheer size and beauty of the place, before lips began attacking his neck and coherent thought subsided for a while. Somehow, Harry wouldn't be surprised if he'd accidentally used magic to help, they ended up in Tony's bedroom, falling onto his large, luxurious bed. Shoving Tony's shirt off his shoulders, Harry broke the kiss to let Tony pull his vest off, Harry's own t-shirt having been discarded somewhere in the hallway along with his shoes and belt. Tony's hands groped at pale flesh, nipping and licking his way down Harry's chest, seemingly ignorant of the many scars there. "Fuck, Evan, so hot," Tony murmured, leaving a dark purple love-bite on the junction of Harry's neck. The name startled Harry for a moment, but he shrugged it off, lost in the sensation Tony was providing. Growling impatiently, Harry grabbed Tony's hand, pressing it against the defined bulge in his jeans. Tony thankfully got the message, swiftly undoing the buttons and yanking them down, revealing tented black silk boxers and pale, muscular thighs.

"Now we're uneven," Harry pointed out with a gasp, reaching to remove Tony's jeans. Tony smirked, shaking his head, moving to do it himself.

"Uh, uh, uh, no touching yet," he teased, sliding his jeans down his ass. Harry's eyes widened when he realised that Tony went commando, and that the man was incredibly well hung.

"Fuck," he breathed, making Tony smirk.

"That's the plan, gorgeous. But first, I think we need to get rid of these," he told him, fingering the waistband of Harry's boxers, pointedly avoiding the one place Harry desperately wanted him to touch. Bucking his hips, Harry shot Tony a furious glare, one that promised pain if he didn't hurry up and get the fuck on with things. Tony chuckled, lowering his mouth against Harry's, his body on top of the wizard's.

"Feisty, I like it. Patience, gorgeous; you're far too responsive for me to do this quickly," he said huskily, sliding Harry's boxers down until Harry could kick them off, uncaring where they landed. Tony leant back on his heels, eyes roaming Harry's body as if he was surveying a particularly delicious meal. Harry, lying there prone, flushed and panting with a hard-on so stiff it was painful, almost blushed under Tony's gaze. He wasn't used to anybody looking at him like that, let alone a man who had probably bedded hundreds of people hotter than him. "Beautiful," Tony declared with a wicked smirk, and this time Harry did blush, dropping his gaze. He felt a finger under his chin, forcing him to look up into Tony's hazel eyes.

"Hey, don't get shy on me now, bright eyes. I only speak the truth, promise," he said with a wink, his hand trailing down Harry's chest. Then Tony gripped his cock, causing him to cry out, forgetting about any reservations he had. Just so long as Tony never stopped touching him. Their chests pressing together, hot skin against hot skin, Harry could only concentrate on the burning pleasure, the need for release as Tony played him like a violin. The man had amazing hands to add to his talented mouth, and Harry loved it. He was so far gone, he almost didn't notice when a slicked finger slipped into him, probing. He tensed, causing Tony to freeze. "What?" Tony asked, a note of concern in his voice that surprised Harry. The younger of the pair blushed fiercely, not meeting Tony's eyes.

"I… I've never… I'm…"

"A virgin?" Tony finished, half-questioningly. Harry nodded, his cheeks a bright red. "Seriously, a guy like you?" Then Tony paused, a light of understanding dawning in his eyes. "Fake ID," he realised, and Harry nodded. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," Harry lied, knowing the age of consent was eighteen in California. Tony smiled at him, his movement stilling even though both of them were achingly hard.

"Sure you want to do this? You can back out now, no harm done. We don't even have to go all the way; I'm pretty damn good with my hands, if I do say so myself," he added with a smirk. Harry wasn't going to argue with that one. He took a deep breath; it was now or never.

"No. I want this. Fuck me, Tony," he breathed, slightly surprised at his own boldness. "I'm gonna lose it sooner or later, and I'd rather it was with someone who knew what they were doing." Tony nodded, pressing a long kiss to Harry's lips.

"Okay. I'll go slow; you don't like what I'm doing, tell me to stop and I will," he told him. Harry nodded speechlessly. Who knew a man like Tony Stark could be so… considerate? He'd expected a brash, cocky, 'fuck 'em and leave 'em' sort-of guy. This was definitely a surprise, though not an unwelcome one.

Tony resumed his ministrations, keeping Harry occupied with the pleasure elsewhere as he gently eased his finger back in. Harry tried not to tense, concentrating on kissing Tony back, trying to relax at the foreign sensation. Another finger entered, making him buck his hips into Tony, who waited for him to get used to it before scissoring his fingers gently. Harry moaned as the slight pain was overwhelmed by pleasure, throwing his head back against the pillows. "Fuck, yes, there," he gasped, and Tony paused, a smirk playing at his lips. He crooked his finger again, causing another buck of his hips. "Fuck, Tony," Harry breathed as a third finger entered him, his fringe falling in his eyes. "Do it. I want you in me," he urged, and Tony raised an eyebrow.

"If you're sure, bright eyes," he acquiesced, "Mind if I go bareback? I'm clean," he assured him. Harry nodded, too lost in pleasure to care.

"Whatever, just fuck me," he growled. Tony lowered himself closer to Harry, chuckling. Harry whimpered in loss as the fingers left him, only to feel something much larger entering. Wincing at the pain, he shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself. He then felt Tony's hand stroking his shoulder gently, kisses being pressed against his jaw.

"Easy there, gorgeous. Just relax, I've got this," he urged, gently easing himself in. Harry tried to relax, but couldn't stop concentrating on the burn, when suddenly Tony's cock hit at the perfect angle and he cried out loudly. "There we go. Just go with me, gorgeous." Tony began rocking slowly, Harry moaning with pleasure at every thrust. Now he knew what people were talking about; this was bloody fantastic! Tony was, apparently, just as good with the men as he was with the ladies; he knew just where to touch, where to move, to make Harry a writhing puddle of goo. He could feel his magic buzzing under his skin, enhancing the pleasure he felt. Tony's pace sped up, his low grunts and moans accompanying Harry's longer moans and shouts, expletives and "oh, God, faster" slipping unhindered from their lips.

"Tony, I –oh, fuck- I'm gonna," Harry broke off with a loud moan, Tony's hand on his cock combined with the feeling in his ass leaving him on the brink. Tony bit down on Harry's shoulder, quickening his pace further.

"Let go, gorgeous. Come for me," he breathed, his hot breath on Harry's ear combined with a particularly hard thrust sending Harry over the edge, stars in his eyes as he came. His muscles tightening forced Tony over almost straight after, a loud "Evan!" accompanying him. Both riding out the waves of their orgasms, they collapsed in a sweaty tangle on the bed, Tony lazily pulling out. Grabbing a cloth from the nightstand, he cleaned them both off, then threw it aside, pressing his lips to Harry's. "Fuck. Haven't had it that good in a long time," Tony murmured, rolling onto his back and pulling Harry with him, making the teen rest his head on Tony's chest. "You okay, bright eyes?" Harry looked up at him, his green eyes even more vibrant than before.

"Hell yes, that was incredible," he breathed, a grin at his lips. Tony chuckled, kissing him.

"I aim to please," he replied with a wink. Harry rolled, straddling Tony's prone form and leaning down to kiss him, feeling far more daring now they'd done the deed, so to speak. Tony raised an eyebrow, feeling a slowly increasing harness poking his abs. "Already? Fuck, I love teenagers, such a fast recovery time," he remarked. Harry just smirked, kissing the older man once more. He was nowhere near ready to finish, yet.

.-.-.

The next morning, Harry awoke disappointingly alone. The not entirely unpleasant ache in his ass reminded him of what had happened, and he couldn't help but smile. He'd lost his virginity. He'd had sex with Tony Stark of all people. Twice. And received the best blowjob of his young life. Yes, this trip was definitely exactly what he needed.

Cracking an eye open blearily, he propped himself up on his elbow. Sunlight was streaming through the large windows, a breathtaking view of the city presented to him. Tony really did have an amazing place. Harry loosely wrapped the sheet around his waist as he sat up, running a hand through his hair. Looking around the room, he saw both his and Tony's clothes from the previous night had gone, and there was an open door at the other side of the room that he could see was a bathroom. Assuming Tony wouldn't mind, Harry slipped from the bed, dropping the sheet, and padded naked through to the bathroom, turning the shower on. He didn't take long, just wanting to freshen up a little, and wrapped a fluffy blue towel around his waist, using a smaller one to dry his hair. He didn't dare use a drying spell; he would be caught far too easily. He didn't doubt that a genius like Tony would have the best security systems in the world, which included surveillance. He might have felt odd about wanking in Tony's shower when he was almost positive it would be recorded somewhere, but shrugged it off, figuring it would give Tony something to watch if he wanted.

Emerging back into the bedroom, the towel draped around his hips, he startled at finding a pretty redhead in a smart suit standing there, raising an eyebrow amusedly. "Tony wasn't lying; you are young," she remarked, and Harry gave her a look.

"Pepper Potts, I presume," he said, ignoring her little dig. He'd seen her in the news, standing in the background at press conferences and such.

"You presume correctly. I've had your clothes dry-cleaned, and there's a car waiting to take you back to your hotel," she told him, sounding almost bored, like it was a regular line for her. She handed him his clothes back, and turned to leave, when Tony appeared from round the corner.

"I hope you're not sending this one away so soon, Pepper. I've got a few questions to ask him," he said, sounding amused. "Morning, gorgeous," he added in Harry's direction, giving him a flirtatious wink and obviously raking his eyes over his half-naked form, his eyes lingering on the several love bites dotting his chest and neck.

"Good morning, Tony. Questions?" Harry asked in reply, pulling his boxers on under his towel.

"Yeah. See, funny thing is, I did a little search. No one named Evan Black with your looks or age lives anywhere in the UK," he told him casually, watching Harry pull his jeans back on.

"Hmm, that is funny," Harry replied in a similar tone, not sounding surprised at all that Tony couldn't find him. Evan Black didn't exist.

"So, want to tell me your real name, bright eyes?" Tony asked, and Harry snorted, pulling his t-shirt over his head.

"Now where would be the fun in that?" he retorted innocently, perching on the edge of the bed to put his shoes back on.

"Oh, come on. I can't find you if I don't know your name," Tony pointed out. Harry raised an eyebrow at him.

"I wasn't aware you wanted to find me. From what I've heard, you're a one-night-only kind of guy," he reasoned. Tony snorted, shrugging his shoulder.

"At least give me your number, gorgeous," he said, not denying the claim. Harry just smirked, standing up and slipping his jacket on. Moving towards Tony, he leaned up to press a long kiss to the man's lips. Tony kissed back automatically, his hands sliding to Harry's hips.

"I'm staying at Silver Sands under 'Black', I leave on the 15th. You'll find me," Harry told him with a smirk. Tony grinned, squeezing his ass quickly. "Thanks, for last night. I had a great time," he added honestly. Tony smiled, kissing him.

"We'll have to get in a repeat performance or two before you head back home," he murmured so Pepper couldn't hear. Harry grinned wickedly.

"Definitely. Now, I'm quite sure I'd get lost if I tried, so would one of you be willing to show me out?" he requested, pulling back. Pepper checked her watch, then turned to Tony.

"I'll do it, you've got a meeting in twenty minutes, and you need to get dressed. Follow me, please." Harry winked at Tony, ignoring the man swatting his backside as he obediently followed Pepper from the house, unsurprised to find Tony's driver waiting to take him back to his hotel. It only made him wonder how many times the billionaire had done that in the past, for it to become so routine. He could only imagine what Hermione would say at his irresponsibility, but Harry still couldn't bring himself to regret going home with Tony. Even if it was one night, it had been one of the best nights of his life.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry wasn't quite sure what to do with himself for the rest of the day; it was barely even ten by the time Tony's driver dropped him off outside his hotel, and despite being in a room full of strangers, he was definitely feeling his cheeks burn from the 'walk of shame' back up to his hotel room. He couldn't shake the irrational feeling that _everyone_ knew he'd had sex with Tony. Not that he regretted it; it had been a lot of fun, and at least Hermione would appreciate the accolade of bedding Tony Stark when he got home, even if no one else knew who he was.

Changing into fresh clothes, Harry wandered down for breakfast in the hotel restaurant, not able to have much more than a couple of slices of toast and a boiled egg before his stomach began to protest, clearly still suffering from the violently green cocktails the night before. Even with sunglasses, he didn't think he could quite handle the blinding sunshine of the outdoor world, and wished Remus had thought to pack hangover potions. Surely he hadn't expected him to stay sober for two weeks with a fake ID? Deciding that the beach and clubbing yesterday definitely fulfilled his social quota for at least the next day, he went back up to his hotel room with a large bottle of water and some crackers, hoping his stomach would settle before lunch time.

He took the opportunity to get some more work done, ploughing steadily through the thick Gringotts portfolio, eyebrows steadily rising at the extent of his inheritance. He knew the Potter and Black fortunes were extensive, to say the least, but when you added sixteen years worth of interest — even longer for some of the Black vaults — plus profit from the many investments of both families, it was definitely a large sum of money. And on top of that, there was everything involved in PotterCo, the company that had been in his family for generations; it had been languishing, and Harry didn't doubt he'd be expected to take up the CEO position soon. He'd have to talk to Remus when he got home, see what it meant for him to be quite so wealthy. For now, he figured the best course of action was to put it back in his suitcase and ignore it until the end of his holiday. At least he knew he wasn't likely to have any repercussions from his shopping spree.

He dozed through another movie — he was rather enjoying the reintroduction to muggle culture — before deciding it was probably about time to find somewhere to eat for the evening. The sun was setting, and less offensive to his lingering hangover, so he showered and changed into something decent to wear for dinner, slipping his wallet and hotel keycard into his pocket. Riding the elevator down, he stepped out into the lobby, his eyes going wide when he saw a familiar man sprawled out on in one of the armchairs like he owned the hotel; for all Harry knew, he probably did. "Are you stalking me?" he asked bemusedly, walking to stand in front of the older man. Tony smirked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Not by definition of the law," he retorted evenly, standing. Harry snorted despite himself, lips quirking in a small grin. "I'm completely free for the rest of the evening. Have dinner with me." It was hardly a request, and Harry's grin widened a fraction. Tony was cocky, but he had to admit, he kind of liked it.

"That's not like you, from what I've heard," Harry pointed out. Tony's reputation wasn't exactly hard to find out.

"Sometimes I break my own rules," Tony told him, an attractive smirk on his face. His arm slid around Harry's back, directing him towards the hotel doors, and Harry didn't need to look to see people were staring. It was nothing he wasn't used to, though, so he decided to go with it, leaning into Tony's side.

"So how long did you spend waiting in the lobby?" he queried out of interest, and Tony looked somewhat sheepish behind his confident mask.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he replied evasively, opening the door to the same car he'd used the night before. "After you, gorgeous." Flushing faintly at the compliment, Harry slid into the car, Tony pressing close to him when he'd sat down, the heat of his thigh glaringly evident despite the two layers of denim between their skin. "Any preferences? Italian, Mexican, Thai?" Harry shrugged, surprised by the question.

"Uh, not really. I've never had Mexican or Thai before." Tony looked positively scandalised by his answer.

"You've never had Thai?" Harry shook his head, distracted by Tony's hand on his knee. "That's a travesty! That's practically blasphemy! Happy, take us to that little place off West; the one Pepper likes, the one I haven't been kicked out of."

"You've been kicked out of a few restaurants, then?" Harry asked, amused. Tony grinned wolfishly at him, offering a wink.

"Only the uptight ones. Speaking of uptight, you should have _seen_ some of the guys in my board meeting this morning. I swear, none of them have had sex since the seventies," he groused, making Harry snicker. "I can't believe Pepper made me go when I could have stayed in bed and had a little more fun with you." His cheeks pink, Harry attempted a roguish smirk.

"That's what tonight's for, isn't it?" he presumed coyly. Tony chuckled, hand sliding up Harry's thigh teasingly.

"I was hoping you'd say that, green eyes," the older man murmured. He leaned in, as if going for a kiss, but Harry pulled out of his reach, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I was under the impression that you weren't supposed to kiss until the end of a first date." Tony groaned near-silently, eyebrows rising even as he pulled back, though didn't remove his hand.

"Is that what this is?"

"Well, you're taking me to dinner…" Harry trailed off, smiling when Tony grinned ruefully.

"Touché," he murmured, arm slung around Harry's shoulders. "Feel special, Evan. I don't often take people on dates." Harry blinked at the name, before remembering it was the only name Tony had for him.

"What makes me the exception?" he asked, half teasing, half genuinely curious. Tony frowned slightly, as if he wasn't completely sure how to answer that question.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out," he answered, a grin coming to his lips when Happy brought them to a halt. Stepping out of the car, he held a hand out to Harry, not letting go when they were both stood outside the restaurant. "Table for two, please, somewhere private," he requested of the waiter just inside the door, and the man nodded, leading them through to a table. The restaurant was low-lit and well-decorated, with a definite oriental feel to it. The table they were given was in a booth in the corner, out of the way of most of the restaurant, and made things seem very intimate. Harry slid into his seat, Tony sitting opposite him.

"Thanks," he murmured when he was handed a menu.

"Can I get you anything to drink, sirs?" the waiter asked politely. Harry shrugged, looking to Tony; he wouldn't know what to order.

"A bottle of your finest Pinot, if you would. White wine okay with you, bright eyes?" Harry nodded, smiling, and Tony nodded in confirmation to the waiter.

"Of course, sir. I'll leave you to look over the menu." He left silently, and Harry glanced over at Tony.

"So what would you recommend, then?" he asked, the dishes on the menu meaning nothing to him.

"Well, we'll order some appetisers first," Tony suggested. "Then after that, it depends. How hot are you willing to go?" He smirked, and Harry blushed, before realising Tony meant the food.

"Uh, fairly hot. I mean, I've had Indian before, and I tend to go for spicy stuff then," he explained. Tony nodded, glancing down the menu.

"See how the appetisers go, then I'll find you something you'll like. Just leave it to me," he insisted, smiling. Harry smiled back, jumping slightly when Tony's foot nudged up against his ankle under the table. He raised an eyebrow at the older man, who merely smirked, rubbing at his ankle gently.

"So what was the board meeting this morning about?" Harry queried, and Tony groaned.

"Do you really want me to talk business? I warn you, it's boring. I don't want you falling asleep on me," he said, making Harry laugh.

"Alright, fair enough. What do you want to talk about, then?"

"Well usually on these things I just talk about how wonderful and talented and rich I am, and my date is driven wild with lust," Tony replied dryly. Harry snorted, looking skeptical.

"Really? That says a lot about the type of people you usually date," he mused, and Tony shrugged.

"Probably. I don't date much, though. And it depends on your definition of 'date'." Their conversation was halted when the waiter returned with the wine, and Tony ordered several dishes off the starter menu that were unfamiliar to Harry. It seemed like a lot for two people, but Tony was confident they could finish it with room for a main meal and dessert. Harry sipped at his wine, growing used to the feel of Tony's foot between his. He just hoped it didn't climb any higher.

Due to Tony's determination not to talk business, and Harry's unwillingness to talk about himself when he'd have to lie about most of it, a lot of their conversation consisted of remarks about the other patrons of the restaurant, and Tony asking about Harry's plans for the rest of his vacation; he had none. "Well, I might have to change that, then," Tony drawled, making Harry raise an eyebrow apprehensively. Was Tony implying what he thought he was implying? Their starters arrived, and Harry's eyes went round at the assortment of dishes; he wanted to try everything. Tony showed him the proper way to use his chopsticks, helping him plate up a little bit of everything to try. He discovered a fondness for some of the spicier dishes, as well as the sweeter appetisers. Tony could hardly contain his laughter watching Harry fumble with his chopsticks when attempting to eat noodles, and Harry glared at him.

"Leave off, I'm new to this," he muttered. Tony smiled at him, leaning across the table to adjust his grip, his long fingers gentle on Harry's narrower ones.

"There," he murmured, grinning. "Try that." Harry did so, finding things much easier, and offered Tony a grateful smile.

"Thanks." Tony smiled back, popping a spring roll in his mouth. Shortly after they finished their starters, the waiter returned to take their main course orders, and Harry let Tony order for him once more. It was nice, having someone take care of things like that. It was different to when he went out to dinner with his friends, and Hermione would chivvy them all into ordering promptly. Or the few other dates he'd been on, where he'd been the one ordering for them both. Though he had to admit, his dating history in the past was incredibly sparse; very few people got past the first date when they realised he wasn't going to let the press get wind of things and plaster them about the news as 'Harry Potter's boyfriend'.

Tony's phone bleeped, and the billionaire glanced down at it, groaning. "Damn it. Pep scheduled me a meeting for tomorrow with quite possibly the most boring man in the universe." Harry raised an eyebrow, and Tony huffed. "Senator Green; he's about seventy years old and is the most obstinate, idiotic man I've ever had the misfortune of meeting."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd be involved much in politics, with Stark Industries," Harry reasoned. Tony shrugged, gulping his wine down.

"You'd think so, but no; being America's number one supplier of weapons means regularly meeting with those people I'm supplying those weapons to, and that means government. I'm far more involved in politics than I'd like to be," he grumbled.

"I have to admit, I'm not brilliant with politics," Harry confessed. "My friend Hermione is the budding politician; already making a name for herself in the equal rights movements back home. But I can't stand 90 percent of politicians I've met, and I'm not particularly concerned with hiding that." After his experiences with Fudge, Umbridge and Scrimgeour, Harry was dreading having to take up the Potter seat on the Wizengamot when he got back.

"Well, if you're lucky, you won't have to meet many more in your lifetime," Tony pointed out encouragingly. Harry resisted the urge to snort; if only that were possible.

"Fingers crossed," he agreed. "And I suppose if you're going to be in a meeting tomorrow, I'd better make tonight something to keep your mind off how much of an idiot he is." Tony's eyes darkened, and his lips quirked in a wicked smirk.

"I think you definitely should," he murmured. Harry smirked at him, tongue darting out to wet his lips.

"Though I suppose it all depends on how well you behave on this date," he drawled, foot nudging Tony's pointedly. "See if you deserve the reward or not."

"Oh, green eyes, you are definitely speaking my language," Tony muttered, voice slightly husky. "I think you'll find I can be _very_ well behaved if the situation calls for it. I'll be the perfect gentleman," he declared solemnly. Harry chuckled, raising his glass to his lips.

"I look forward to seeing that. I have to say, you're doing well so far," he complimented. Tony opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything the waiter returned with several plates of exotic-looking food, and Tony straightened up, composing himself.

Harry was surprised at how easy it was to get along with Tony; he'd expected the man he saw on the news and in magazines. Tony was cocky, but not all that arrogant, and didn't seem to be bored by his company and trying to distract him with sex. He wasn't rude, or flirting with everyone in the restaurant; he was, dare he say it, incredibly charming. Harry just hoped he didn't come off as too stupid; it was hard to keep up in conversation with a genius like Tony, but he felt like he was holding his own. It worried him, though, just how much he was enjoying the date. If Tony's reputation was anything to go by, he'd best not get too attached, as the older man would move on to the next pretty face soon enough. Still, he tried to stay relaxed, telling himself that it was only casual, and he'd be fine when Tony moved on.

They followed the meal with a delicious dessert of exotic fruits and sorbet, and Tony pulled out his card to pay before Harry could even blink. Harry didn't argue, knowing Tony could afford it. "Shall we?" Tony murmured, offering him a hand to help get to his feet. Harry smiled when Tony's arm wound around his waist on the way out, his blood pumping faster; he knew how the night was going to end.

Happy was waiting for them with the car when they left the restaurant, and Tony held the door open for Harry, sliding in beside him. As they drove off, Tony's hand rested on Harry's knee. "So, what's the verdict?" the American murmured, breath hot on Harry's neck. "Have I been a good boy?" Harry smirked, turning to meet Tony's eyes.

"I'd say so," he replied, tone slightly teasing. "A very good boy indeed. Thank you, Tony. I had a great evening." Tony smiled, thumb rubbing at the inner seam of Harry's jeans.

"You're very welcome, gorgeous, but I assure you, it's about to get better." Harry chuckled, lifting a hand to tangle in Tony's hair.

"Y'know, the date's over," he pointed out. "So feel free to kiss me anytime." Tony growled, bringing their lips together, and Harry melted into him without hesitation, body tingling with anticipation. The drive back to Tony's seemed to take barely any time at all, though they weren't as far gone as they had been the night before. As tempted as Harry was to just drag Tony to the nearest sofa, he knew things would be better in that huge bed of his, and eagerly followed Tony up to the bedroom.

"Damn, you're good at this," Tony breathed, bucking up into Harry's hand. "Considering you were a virgin before last night." Harry smirked, pressing his lips to Tony's throat.

"I'm a fast learner," he replied. "Though I'm sure you've still got plenty to teach me." Tony hummed, flipping them over so Harry was underneath him.

"Oh, I definitely do." Harry laughed breathlessly as Tony divested him of his boxers, pressing down against him, and moaned loudly. "Let's cross a few things off the list, shall we?"

.-.-.

Harry collapsed onto Tony's chest, boneless, and let out a long sigh of contentment. "That definitely needs to happen again," he murmured, smiling when Tony's hand rested on his back.

"If I have my way, bright eyes, it will." Harry let his eyes fall shut, ready to curl up and sleep, and jolted when Tony spoke again. "Hmm, if I disconnect the secondary rotor and change it for a… no, that won't. Wait. Yes." Harry was unceremoniously moved to the mattress so Tony could reach for his phone, the LED screen lighting up the darkness.

"Brainwave?" Harry presumed, knowing the signs. Tony paused, as if only just remembering he wasn't alone, then smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, kinda. Look, I'll just write this down so I don't forget, it won't take long, I promise." But Harry could tell in the twitching of Tony's hands and the new surge of energy in his expression, he was itching to go and work on whatever it was he'd thought up. He smiled to himself; it was awfully similar to Hermione in research-mode, or even himself in spell-weaving mode.

"Or you could go to your workshop, do whatever it is you want to do, and I'll head back to my hotel room for the night? No point in you losing inspiration while it's there," he reasoned. Tony paused, cocking his head slightly, clearly perplexed.

"Wait, you don't mind?" Harry chuckled, leaning over to kiss him.

"Of course I don't mind. You're a genius, your brain doesn't sit still. Trust me, I've known enough geniuses to be well acquainted with the process," he added wryly. "If you stayed here you'd only fidget anyway." Tony was genuinely surprised, and Harry got up off the bed, hunting for his clothes. "I'll see you tomorrow, or whatever," he added, thinking it presumptuous to assume that Tony would want to see him three days in a row. Tony scrambled up out of the bed, pulling him closer.

"You're not mad?" he checked, making Harry grin.

"I'm not mad. Go do genius stuff, just don't forget to go to sleep eventually." Tony stared at him for a long moment, then kissed him.

"You're my new favourite," he declared, and Harry would never admit just how warm and fuzzy that made him feel. "I'll have Happy drive you back."

"Isn't it a little late for that?" Harry started, but Tony shook his head.

"Happy's always on duty, he won't mind. Come on, I'll walk you out." Grabbing his phone to text Happy, Tony tugged on some jeans and an oil-stained Metallica shirt, leading Harry through to the front door. Sure enough, there was a car waiting in the drive for him, Happy in the driver's seat. "You're awesome," Tony told Harry firmly, pulling him in by an arm around the waist. "And I will definitely see you soon. Sleep well, gorgeous." Harry leaned up for a long kiss, smiling.

"Good luck with whatever it is you're working on." He pulled away, sliding into the back seat of the car. "Thanks for this, Happy. I know it's late," he said apologetically. "But if Tony's spending the night in the lab, I didn't see much point in me staying at his." Happy laughed, shaking his head ruefully.

"It's not a problem, kid. And congrats on being the first person not to get pissed at Mr Stark for putting work ahead of pillow talk," he added wryly. "Usually he gets a slap in the face." Harry frowned; he was the first?

"But that's hardly fair; he's a genius, his brain is going at a hundred miles an hour. If he gets an idea, I can't expect him to wait until morning with it. I'll only start getting pissed if he cuts out halfway through sex to go to the shop," he remarked, before blushing when he realised who he was talking to. "Don't tell him I said that." Happy snickered, and Harry could see him smiling.

"Mr Stark's definitely found an interesting one in you, kid," he declared. Harry grinned, hoping that was some semblance of approval.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry was only a little bit surprised to see Tony waiting in the lobby when he went down for breakfast, stretched out in the same armchair he'd occupied the night before. "You're making a habit of this," he remarked by way of greeting, bringing a smirk to Tony's face.

"Haven't you heard? Habits and vices are my specialty," he retorted, eyes blatantly roaming over Harry's body as he stood. "I am definitely loving the shorts." Harry grinned, shoulder bumping with Tony's as they fell into step beside each other.

"So where are we going today?" he queried, happy to let Tony decide. The man did know the city better than he did, after all.

"Breakfast first," Tony declared, ignoring the waiting car to walk with him further down the street. "Then we hit the road. You a fan of motorbikes?"

"God, yes," Harry replied emphatically, thinking lovingly of his own bike — inherited from Sirius — in the garage back home. Tony's catlike grin widened, arm slinging low around Harry's waist.

"Evan, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Harry snorted quietly; not many friendships he knew involved sex. Still, he wasn't complaining.

Tony was happy to take up the majority of the conversation over breakfast like he had at dinner, alternating between flirting with him, flirting with their waitress, and gushing about his inventions. Harry was equally happy to let him; he only understood about 20% of the tech-talk, but it was interesting regardless, and a definite reminder that Harry should continue his muggle re-education when he got home. As for flirting with the waitress, it was hard to take him seriously when his foot was steadily stroking Harry's ankle under the table. Harry knew the type; Bill was the same, flirting out of habit rather than any real attraction. "So tell me about yourself," Tony prompted, bringing Harry back to the conversation. Harry shrugged, wondering what he could tell Tony without breaking the statute of secrecy.

"Well I'm the youngest of seven boys back home," he replied, figuring that while he wasn't actually blood related to the Weasleys, at this point, he might as well be. "One younger sister." Tony let out a low whistle, eyebrows rising.

"God help anyone who tries to date her." Harry laughed, smirking wryly.

"Too right," he muttered. "She's going out with a friend of mine at the moment, though, so he knows not to mess her around. Besides, she can take care of herself." Tony smiled a little at that, nodding to prompt him to continue. "I went to a boarding school in Scotland — right up in the highlands, arse end of nowhere — and, uh… I'm looking at a career in medicine?" He wasn't really sure what else to say, but Tony seemed to appreciate the information all the same.

"Medicine, huh? How sweet; I make things that kill people, you want to learn to save them." Tony's voice was somewhat sarcastic, and Harry shot him a look.

"Don't say it like that," he snapped, surprising the older man. "You make things that kill people _to_ save people. If the people you sell to don't follow the same creed, that's their problem, not yours." Tony blinked, staring at him in mild incredulity, and Harry blushed, wondering if he'd said too much.

"Well, you _are_ a special one, aren't you?" the billionaire murmured, causing the flush on Harry's cheeks to darken. "Not many your age that would have that viewpoint." Harry shrugged, ducking his gaze.

"Yeah, well… terrorist attacks." Tony's expression became knowing.

"Of course; Scotland and London. Were you involved?"

"I'm afraid that's classified information," Harry retorted evenly, smirk tugging at his lips. Tony pouted.

"Well, that's no fun!" Seeing that both their plates were empty, Tony tossed a couple of bills on the table, getting to his feet. "Come on, green-eyes; I'll let you pick the motorbike." Harry grinned, following Tony from the cafe — and determinedly _not_ giving a smug smirk to their disappointed waitress. Happy was waiting for them with the car, and Harry felt Tony lean into him almost as soon as they were moving, the man's stubble grazing his cheek. "You've not said a proper good morning," he drawled, breath hot on Harry's ear. Harry bit back a low moan, tilting his head so their lips met. Tony's tongue twined around his own, the American's hand resting on his hip.

"Good morning," he murmured against the older man's lips when they parted, feeling Tony smirk.

"Much better." Tony kissed him again, hand sneaking underneath his shirt, and Harry groaned.

"Do you really want to start something here?" he breathed, head falling back as Tony's lips moved to his neck.

"Clearly you've never ridden a motorbike with a hard-on," Tony retorted, voice somewhat muffled by Harry's skin. "It makes the sex afterwards _incredible_." Harry moaned as Tony's hand trailed over the crotch of his shorts, bucking into the touch impatiently.

"You tease," he accused petulantly, earning a wolfish grin.

"We're just getting started, green-eyes." Happy slowed to wait for the gates to Tony's driveway to open, and Harry took the time to appreciate the house from the outside. It really was incredible; he didn't doubt Tony had designed every single part of it himself. "This way," Tony directed, a hand on the small of his back to lead him to the garage. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Don't tell me you drive _all_ of these," he exclaimed; there had to be thirty cars in there! Not to mention the ten or so motorbikes lined up in pristine condition. Harry thought he might be drooling.

"Well, Pep drives some of them. Rhodey — my friend, Rhodey, you'd like him —drives some when he's in town. And some of them I built because I was bored." Harry blinked, staring at the older man.

"You were… right. Of course. Genius," he murmured; he should have expected it, really. A man like Tony didn't keep his fidgeting fingers to work-only endeavours; he was probably worse than the twins. Tony grinned at the assessment, gesturing to the motorbikes.

"JARVIS, are any of the bikes out of action? I forget." Harry wondered who he was talking to, jumping as a voice replied from seemingly nowhere.

"The Super Duke is currently experiencing some engine troubles and structural damage from your last excursion, sir," the calm voice replied, and Tony cursed.

"Damn it, I like the Super Duke. Oh, I haven't introduced you yet, have I? Evan, this is JARVIS, my butler. He's an AI. JARVIS, meet Evan; hopefully you'll be seeing a lot of him over the next couple of weeks." Harry's heart warmed at that — Tony was planning on keeping him around for a while — but his brow furrowed at the man's words.

"AI?"

"Artificial Intelligence. Really, really smart computer. Of course he is; I made him," Tony added with a smirk.

"You have a smart computer for a butler?" Eventually, Tony would stop surprising him. At least it confirmed one thing; definitely no magic whatsoever in Tony's presence. He'd probably blow half the house up by accident.

"I have a team of smart helper robots in my workshop. Wanna see?" He sounded almost like a child wanting to show off his new toys, and it made Harry grin.

"Maybe another time. Is that a Honda CBR600RR?" His eyes were caught by a midnight blue motorbike further down the row, and he watched as Tony grinned.

"Why yes, it is. Wanna take it out?" Tony queried, watching Harry beam excitedly.

"Can I?" The American chuckled, dropping a kiss on the teen's lips.

"I'm driving," he declared, swinging a leg over the bike and patting the seat behind him. "Hop on, gorgeous." Harry smirked, not wasting any time in sliding on behind Tony, his arms wrapping firmly around the older man's waist and his chin tucked comfortably on his shoulder. "Hold on tight," Tony murmured, before the roar of the engine took over any sound he might make. Harry couldn't stop himself grinning as the garage door rose for them, and Tony pulled them out with ease, starting on the small slip-road that led down to the main road by the house. Harry had to admit, it was incredibly comfortable on that bike, Tony's presence definitely adding to that. His chest pressing close to the older man's back and the rumbling machine between his thighs was affecting him in ways a motorbike hadn't in years.

"Fuck, last time I felt like this, I was fifteen and driving my bike for the first time," he called to Tony, who laughed, rocking back into him the best he could without losing control of the bike.

"Like I told you, bright eyes; incredible sex!" he insisted smugly, turning them out towards the coastline. "Why don't I show you some of the sights, huh? This is definitely the best way to see them." Harry smiled and relaxed into Tony, not bothering to fight the arousal that hummed pleasantly under his skin. Paying more attention to the scenery, he wished he'd brought some sunglasses, or possibly picked up a helmet with a visor. Were he feeling more daring, he'd steal Tony's off his face, but he figured that as the one driving, the American needed them more than he did.

"This city is beautiful!" he complimented, leaning into Tony as they took a sweeping turn.

"You should see it at night!" Tony returned, driving them further down the beach. The longer they drove, the less populated the area got, until they were very definitely in the middle of nowhere. Harry was surprised when Tony pulled them over near a large, grass-covered sand dune, tucking the bike neatly out of view.

"Where are we?" Harry queried, getting off the bike with no small amount of discomfort, the fly of his jeans obviously straining. Tony's eyes were drawn to the area, and his smirk widened.

"Well, there's a really great little cafe that does the most amazing ice cream about ten minutes down that way," he explained, jerking a thumb in the direction of the road. "And I thought we might stop for lunch there. But I figured you might want some privacy to take care of that problem you've got there," he added in a low tone, stepping closer to hook a thumb through Harry's belt loops. Harry's eyebrows shot up, his eyes going wide.

"Here?" he hissed, making Tony grin.

"No one else around for miles, I promise," he assured, lips already dragging across Harry's jaw, heading to nip at his adam's apple. Harry let out a low groan, allowing Tony to push him back against the wall of the sand dune.

"If we get arrested for public indecency, you're paying my bail," he muttered, quickly unzipping his jeans as Tony dropped to his knees. Glancing up at him, Tony offered a smirk and a quick wink.

"That's a deal, gorgeous."

.-.

The only signs of their little detour when they arrived at the cafe was Harry's messier-than-usual hair and Tony's slightly swollen lips, as well as the smug grins on their faces. There were only three other patrons, and they failed at trying to look like they weren't staring once they realised who Tony was. Both of them ignoring the eyes with practised ease, Tony led Harry to a table in the corner, pulling the teen's chair out for him. They were barely sat for three seconds before the waitress — a starstruck-looking girl probably not much older than Harry — appeared at their sides, her wide brown eyes on Tony. "Can I get you anything, sirs?" she asked somewhat breathlessly. Tony glanced at Harry, clearly amused.

"Raspberry lemonade and a BLT for me, please. Green-eyes?" Tony prompted, causing Harry to look at the menu.

"Apple juice and… I'll go for a chicken sandwich, thanks," he requested of the waitress with a smile, watching the blush on her cheeks rise.

"Of course. And, uh, I don't mean to bother you Mr Stark, but… could I have your autograph?" she squeaked out nervously, offering her notepad to him. Tony smiled easily, taking both pen and paper.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" he queried. Harry watched in amusement as the comment made her go an even more violent shade of red.

"Mandy," she answered softly. Tony nodded, scribbling out a quick 'To Mandy, lots of love, Tony Stark' on the notepad before handing it back to her.

"Thanks," she said, grinning widely as she tucked the pad into her apron. "I'll go get your drinks." She hurried away, and Tony looked back to Harry.

"Well, she's definitely new here," he remarked, leaning back in his chair. "I thought I'd met all the staff by now."

"You come here a lot, then?" Harry asked in interest, glancing around the cafe. It was quaint, and the ice cream at the counter did indeed look as great as Tony said it was.

"When I can get away, yeah. It's great out here," Tony replied, smiling when Mandy brought their drinks over to them with a shy smile before retreating to the kitchen. Harry sipped at his apple juice, grateful for the cold drink.

They chatted over their sandwiches about Stark Industries, and Malibu, and a little about Harry's life back home. Harry only hoped it wasn't as obvious to Tony that he was hiding something as he felt it was. Tony didn't seem suspicious, so either he hadn't caught on, or didn't care. After their sandwiches, Tony tugged Harry up and over to the ice cream counter. "Ooh, they have mint chocolate chip," Harry crowed, delighted. "My favourite." As if on cue, a different waitress appeared at the counter, offering Tony an easy smile.

"Good afternoon, Mr Stark. Your usual?" she presumed. Tony slid an arm around Harry's waist, leaning his other elbow against the counter.

"Yes please, Jenna. And get a mint chocolate chip cone for Evan here, if you would," he asked, drawing a wider smile from the blonde woman.

"No Pepper today?" Jenna asked as she dug out large scoops of raspberry ripple.

"No, not today," Tony confirmed with a sigh. "Pep has to work." Jenna giggled, handing him the cone before reaching for a new scoop and the mint chocolate chip.

"The perils of running a multi-billion dollar company," she remarked wryly, earning an emphatic nod from Tony.

"I know, right?" he agreed. Harry snorted, taking his cone with a thankful smile, and with a nod to Jenna they both returned to their table, Tony's ankle hooking around Harry's almost out of habit. Harry took a tentative lick of the ice cream, letting out a hum of contentment at the taste.

"Wow, that's good," he muttered, flushing slightly when he noticed Tony's intense gaze.

"You make the same sound eating ice cream as you do when you're blowing me," the older man mused conversationally. "I don't know whether to be insulted or turned on."

"I'd go for the latter," Harry replied, trying to keep as much of a straight face as he could to preserve his dignity. "This is _really_ good ice cream." Tony snorted, tongue swirling around the edges of his cone to catch any stray melting drops.

"Damn right it is." They didn't stay long after finishing their cones, Tony leaving a generous tip on the table as they left, and Harry grinned at the prospect of a trip back on the bike. Tony pulled him forward, tasting vaguely of raspberries and cream, then moved to straddle the bike. "Come on, gorgeous; the sooner we get home, the sooner I can reacquaint you with my bed. Or the couch, I'm not fussy," the billionaire remarked, making Harry smile, sliding easily onto the bike and cuddling up to Tony's back.

"A far more romantic offer than the sand dune back there," the Brit replied, and Tony chuckled.

"You know me; all about romance."

.-.-.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be; they arrived back at Tony's to find an angry Pepper Potts waiting in the living room, dressed in her usual killer business suit. "Where the hell have you been? I called you about twenty times!" she exclaimed, gaze narrowing on Tony.

"That little ice cream place we really like. I wanted to give Evan a ride out on the bike," Tony explained, unrepentant. Pepper huffed, arms folding over her chest.

"And you just happened to ignore the several reminders about the board meeting today, as well as me calling you two dozen times?" she retorted. Harry winced, taking his hand from Tony's.

"You skipped a meeting for me? Tony, you shouldn't have… we didn't have to go out today, if you've got work to do-" Tony cut him off with a short, sharp kiss, then smirked.

"Relax, green eyes. I would've skipped that meeting anyway; it was destined to be boring as hell," he informed him with a grin. Pepper let out a sigh of frustration, fingers twitching like she was resisting the urge to strangle her boss.

"Regardless, Tony, you've got to get back to work. That prototype of the new timer system on the missiles needs to be ready by morning. I'm sorry, Evan," she added, sounding genuinely apologetic. Tony pouted, but Harry merely smiled, shaking his head.

"No worries; work comes first, I get it. Go, Tony, be a genius," he said, grinning. Tony smirked back, leaning in for a longer, deeper kiss than the one before.

"I'll swing by your hotel tomorrow and take you out again," he murmured, hand on Harry's ass.

"No, you won't; you're in meetings all day tomorrow, and there is no way in hell I'm letting you skip out on them," Pepper cut in firmly. Tony's pout returned, fingers creeping up underneath Harry's shirt.

"Spoilsport," he muttered, and Harry laughed.

"It's no problem, Tony; I _can_ get by for a day without you, y'know," he teased, thumbs hooking easily through the man's belt loops. "I'll see you the day after." He glanced quickly at Pepper as he spoke, who offered a smile, her StarkTech phone in her hand, presumably open to Tony's schedule.

"Some scheduled workshop time for that auto-trigger mechanism you're working on, but other than that, you're free all day," she promised. Tony grinned in satisfaction, lips meeting Harry's with a contented hum.

"Mom says I can come play the day after tomorrow," he murmured with a smirk. "So I guess I'll come knock for you." Harry snickered, rolling his eyes and reluctantly stepping away.

"I look forward to it," he replied, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to neaten it.

"I'll tell Happy to drive you back to your hotel," Pepper assured him, already tapping out the message on her phone.

"I'll see you both the day after tomorrow, then. Have fun in the workshop, and try and stay awake through most of your meetings, Tony. Pepper's trying her best to make them interesting for you," Harry said to Tony, who shrugged. The man had the attention span of a five year-old with ADHD, and unless the meetings revolved around how brilliant his technology was and how the logistics of it all worked, he was bored and restless within ten seconds.

"Sleep tight, gorgeous. Try not to be too lonely without me tomorrow," Tony replied, making Harry smirk.

"I'm sure I'll manage," he retorted, heading for the stairs. As Pepper had promised, Happy was waiting for him, though the bodyguard stayed fairly silent through the short drive. Harry thanked him when they pulled up outside his hotel, shuffling out of the car and wandering back up to his hotel room. He'd hunt down some dinner later on — if he could even be bothered to leave his room for it — but until then, he was definitely appreciating the prospect of lying down in the shade with the AC on. As much as he loved the sunshine and heat of Malibu, his fragile British body was _definitely_ not built for it.

.-.-.

Harry woke up late on his Tony-free day, and didn't get out of bed until far later. Aware that there would be no Tony waiting in the lobby to whisk him away when he went downstairs, he took his time, figuring he could devote the day to looking for presents for everyone back home while it was in his mind. Dressed casually in a t-shirt and shorts, he started off in the direction of the city centre, enjoying the atmosphere. He didn't really have an aim for the day; he'd seen a lot of the city with Tony, and he wanted to give his credit card a break from serious shopping for a day or two. He doubted the goblins would be best impressed.

Feeling the sun already beginning to burn his cheeks and the back of his neck, he kept to the shaded areas, slipping into a cafe for an icy smoothie and watching people walk along the beach. Most of them seemed to be families with kids, or teenagers in groups, and Harry remembered fondly the group he'd hung out with on his second day. He probably would've met up with them again if he hadn't met Tony later that night.

A smile came to his lips unbidden as he remembered the night he'd met Tony. It was surprising — and a little bit terrifying — how easily he'd slipped into Tony's life in the past few days. He felt like they'd known each other for far longer than just under a week, and he was already bored without the snarky genius around. He didn't want to think about just how few days he had left in Malibu; if Tony didn't grow bored with him before then, that was. He wished he were staying in the country for more than just two weeks, but… he had to go home. He had his family to get back to, and only a couple of weeks before everyone was back at Hogwarts and he had to figure out his business and political prospects as head of the Potter and Black families, and enroll in a St Mungo's course. Part of him hoped that Tony _would_ tire of him, if only to make saying goodbye less painful. But the bigger part of him wanted as much time with Tony as possible before he had to leave.

He sighed to himself, sucking some more smoothie through his straw. "You do get yourself into some situations, don't you Potter?" he muttered to himself, morose. Time would tell, he supposed.

.-.-.

Frowning darkly at the sound of several short, sharp raps on the door of his hotel room, accompanied by the incessant press of the buzzer, Harry dragged himself out of bed and towards the door, determined to tell whoever it was to fuck off and leave him to sleep. The words died on his tongue when he opened the door to see Tony, fully dressed in a designer suit and very much wide awake, beaming at him. "Good morning, bright eyes. I am definitely a big fan of this view," he added, leering at Harry's half-naked form. Harry didn't bother being embarrassed, running a hand through his undoubtedly impressive bed-head.

"Was there something so urgent you had to turn up at my door at just gone four in the morning?" he groaned, and Tony gave him an apologetic look, before brightening once more.

"Would you like to come to New York with me?" Harry blinked, unsure if he'd heard right.

"New York?" he repeated, and Tony nodded. "Why?" The billionaire rocked on the balls of his feet, looking excited.

"I have meetings all morning, but I'll be yours for the afternoon and evening. Pep's coming, but she's spending the day with her brother or whatever, so I'm gonna need some company. It's just for the day; we'll fly back tomorrow morning. But it's still plenty of time to see some sights, have a good time, and I want you to come. Also, it's free; private jet," he added. Harry chuckled; money was hardly a problem for him, not that Tony knew that.

"Sure, sounds like fun," he agreed easily. He was awake now; might as well make the most of it. "Just give me a minute to pack an overnight bag; you can come in, if you like," he added, heading back further into his room. Tony trailed behind, looking around curiously.

"Pretty sweet room," he noted. "Your brothers are spoiling you." Harry laughed, nodding.

"Oh, don't I know it. I'll have to get them all something brilliant for Christmas. Besides, you think this is nice, have a look at the bed," he added, drawing another leer from the older man.

"Why, Mr Black, is that an invitation?" he drawled, stepping into Harry's personal space. Harry smirked, fingers fiddling with Tony's shirt button.

"Depends; do we have time?" Tony pressed against him from shoulder to knee, and Harry hummed throatily at the feel of the expensive suit fabric against his bare skin. Well, there was a turn-on he didn't know he had.

"Sweetheart, I own the damn jet, they won't take off without us. Lead the way," Tony urged, leg slipping between Harry's. Harry grinned, stepping backwards with a firm grip on Tony's tie, tugging him towards the bedroom. They probably didn't have time for much, but a little morning sex would definitely wake him up properly.

.-.

Tony drove them to the airfield on the same bike they'd taken out the other day, and Pepper didn't seem surprised that they were twenty minutes late for scheduled take-off. Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of the jet, and he briefly wondered if he could reason buying one. That would be nice. "Isn't she beautiful? I built her myself," Tony crowed proudly, and Harry assumed he wasn't talking about Pepper.

"She's gorgeous," Harry agreed. "What's the inside like?" Tony's grin widened, and he took Harry by the hand, dragging him up the steps and past Pepper, inside the jet. Harry let out an impressed whistle at the sleek decor and large plasma-screen TV. It certainly wasn't like any plane he'd ever seen before. "Very nice." Tony beamed at the praise, leading him to sit down in one of the chairs, and Pepper followed behind as the flight crew got ready for take-off.

"So Tony said you're spending the day with your brother, Pepper?" Harry queried, shooting Tony a fondly exasperated look as the older man's socked feet appeared in his lap.

"I am, yes; him and his family live in Manhattan, he's a lawyer," she explained, smiling. "I don't get to see him often, but I try and visit whenever I'm in the area."

"Sounds great," Harry replied, strapping in and making himself comfortable, fingers tracing absent shapes on Tony's ankle under the hem of his trousers. "Any kids?"

"Two," Pepper answered, kicking off her stilettos and tucking her feet up underneath her. "A boy and a girl, four and seven respectively."

"They both have Aunt Pepper wrapped around their adorable little fingers," Tony supplied, making Harry grin while Pepper smiled ruefully, not denying it.

"They _are_ adorable," she agreed. "Though I have to say, I could do without my sister-in-law asking when I'm gonna have a couple of my own. She's one of the many that thinks I'm secretly dating Tony," she added with a grimace.

"Hey, what's with the face?" Tony asked, mock-offended. "I'll have you know, I'm a total catch. Back me up here, Evan."

"Well…" Harry drawled playfully, laughing when Tony kicked him half-heartedly. "Kidding, kidding. You're a total catch. He's a total catch, Pepper," he repeated dutifully, making the redhead snigger.

"Yeah, well, you can keep him," she replied, and Harry was surprised at the flutter of warmth her words caused in his stomach. He would very much like to keep Tony, if he could.

"Yay," he deadpanned, winking when Tony let out a whine of protest.

"Well, if that's the thanks I get for taking you to New York, we can always turn around and drop you back in Malibu," the American threatened. Harry smirked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"No, the thanks you get was what we did in the hotel room before leaving," he said evenly.

"I thought that was just you saying hello," Tony responded, not missing a beat. The stewardess declared that it was now safe to remove their seatbelts, and Tony immediately undid his, throwing himself onto the couch with ease and patting the spot beside him expectantly. Harry smiled, undoing his own seatbelt and following, shoulder brushing with Tony's. Pepper stayed in her seat, though undid her seatbelt to get more comfortable.

"You got any nieces or nephews, Evan? All those siblings, you must have a few," Pepper mused, obviously wanting to get the conversation away from sex.

"Not quite yet, but my oldest brother's wife is pregnant. She's about to pop any day now, so maybe I will do by the time I get back," he joked, thinking of Fleur, her stomach so round she could barely walk.

"That would be pretty neat. Miss all the stress of her giving birth and come home just in time to play with the new kid," Tony pointed out, making Harry grin.

"That's true. Though with it being the first kid of our lot, I kind-of want to be there for it. I made her promise not to go into labour while I was away, at any rate," the Brit replied, as if Fleur had any control over the matter. Tony snorted, and Pepper rolled her eyes.

"Hey, you wanna watch TV? I have cable up here," Tony said suddenly, pressing a button on the console set into the arm of the couch, causing the TV to turn on. Harry blinked, incredulous.

"That shouldn't even be possible…" he began, trailing off when Tony shot him a look. Of course; impossible was not in Tony Stark's vocabulary. "Sure, go for it. You can pick." He shifted to lean into Tony's side a little better, making himself comfortable as they settled in for the flight.


	5. Chapter 5

The jet being StarkTech, it made the five-hour journey in three, and they landed a little after eleven in the morning New York time, the sun already high in the sky. Harry was a little sad when they landed; he'd enjoyed the flight, being able to chat to Tony and Pepper without any other pressing matters arising. He liked Pepper more and more the more he spent time with her.

Tony was half into businessman mode when they stepped out of the jet, and Harry was surprised to see photographers waiting for them outside the airfield building, obviously having been stopped by security before reaching the landing strip itself. Tony didn't seem bothered, merely taking Harry's hand in his and carrying on towards the car waiting for them. Harry didn't let it bother him either; he'd had worse.

His face was firmly glued to the tinted window as they drove into the centre of New York; the city was a hive of activity, full of lights and noise and people, and Harry thought it was brilliant. Tony helpfully pointed out specific buildings and landmarks, keeping up a running commentary until they got to their hotel. Harry was unsurprised to find they had a double suite, with Pepper in one room and him and Tony in the other, though he was stunned at the luxury of the room. It seemed a little needless for just the one night, but it _was_ Tony Stark. Besides; he could think of ten excellent uses for the jacuzzi bath, and even more for the expansive bed with its solid wooden headboard.

Pepper gave Tony a little pointed motion that involved tapping her watch, and the genius sighed, resting his hands on Harry's waist. "I have to go convince boring people to pay lots of money for shit that I made, so I'll see you in a couple of hours, hmm? Wander round the city, take in the sights, think of anything you might wanna do this afternoon, and I'll meet you back here at 2:00?" he checked. Harry nodded, leaning in for a kiss before straightening the man's tie, neatening his collar a little and smoothing down his lapel.

"Try not to fall asleep," he teased.

"Try not to get lost," Tony retorted, kissing him once more. "See you later, gorgeous." With a playful smack to Harry's ass, Tony left the room after Pepper, leaving Harry alone in the hotel room. He deposited his bag in the bedroom and freshened up a little, splashing some water on his face before deciding to hit the city.

He picked a random direction and followed the crowd, eyes peeled for anything he might enjoy. Detouring through several shops, Harry tried not to buy too much, well aware that he had to get it past Tony to get it back to Malibu. He couldn't resist a lot of the clothing, though, and made sure to only buy what he knew he could carry. He bought a miniature Statue of Liberty for Ron, too, knowing his pseudo-brother would appreciate it. He was tempted to visit the New York wizarding community, but there was no way he wouldn't be recognised, and he didn't want his trip cut short by the arrival of half a dozen wizarding news crews. He was on a completely muggle holiday, and he was sticking to that; even to the point of keeping his wand in his suitcase. He hardly used it to begin with, preferring wandless magic when he used magic at all, and he had confidence in Kingsley's promise that America was safe for him.

Picking up a fresh cinnamon pretzel from a street vendor, Harry found himself wandering into the theatre district, the streets of Broadway full of people. Signs for musicals and plays glittered brightly overhead, and Harry had the brief desire to check the box office for tickets. He decided against it, though; he doubted Tony had the attention span to sit through a whole show, and he didn't really want to spend half the evening sat in a dark room with Tony but unable to talk to him. He could do that on his own.

Glad he'd brought his camera, Harry took several snaps of the theatres and signs, keeping an eye on the time. He'd spent more time shopping than he'd thought, and he wasn't sure how long it would take him to find his way back to the hotel, so he decided to start back in that direction, not wanting to be late for Tony. He managed to get back surprisingly quickly, and deposited his bags back in the room before going to sit in the hotel bar with a pint of cider while he waited for his wayward lover. Entertaining himself with people-watching, loving the chance to be anonymous for once, he almost didn't notice when Tony returned. Almost. It was hard to not notice every head turning towards the doors.

Harry smiled, downing the dregs of his cider, and slipped off his stool to head towards the man, who had already changed into black jeans and a less formal shirt. Pepper was nowhere to be seen, and Harry assumed she'd already gone to her brother's. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Tony murmured, capturing his lips in a languid kiss. "Have you been drinking?"

"Just one cider," Harry replied freely. Tony smirked, kissing him again.

"Tastes good," he complimented. "Have a good morning?" Harry nodded, Tony's hand on the small of his back as they walked right back out of the hotel.

"Yeah, it was fun. Walked around, got some shopping done, took some pictures. How was yours?" Tony groaned, shaking his head.

"Boring as fuck. I made the deal, but I swear, those guys were older than dust and about half as interesting. People that old shouldn't be allowed obscene amounts of money; they don't have any fun with it," he complained.

"What about when you get to that age?" Harry teased, and Tony shook his head determinedly.

"I won't," he insisted. "I plan on killing myself in some awesomely cool accident long before then. And even if I do, I'll be way cooler than they are; I'll be like Hugh Hefner, buy a mansion and fill it with gorgeous people. But I won't be nearly so picky as old Hef; men as well as women will be very much welcome in my awesome mansion of sex," he declared. Harry snickered, raising an eyebrow.

"That's the plan, hmm?" he checked, and Tony nodded. "Sounds like fun. Do I get to be in your awesome mansion of sex?" Tony smirked, kissing his temple.

"Gorgeous, you'll be running the damn thing. You and Pepper, in charge of my harem of gorgeous boys and girls. Like that idea? I'll let you have your pick of the harem, too. Maybe we could share them," he offered. Harry laughed, amazed at the turn the conversation had taken.

"Are you sure you'll even be able to get it up enough to share them with me when you're older than dust?" he ribbed, drawing a scandalised look from the older man.

"Of course! This bad boy is never going down for good," Tony insisted, and Harry was very glad he refrained from grabbing his crotch in public.

"I'll think about it," he assured laughingly. Tony smirked in triumph, directing him around a corner, and Harry realised they were at Central Park. Had they really been walking that long?

"Ready for lunch yet, or wanna walk around a little more?" Tony queried. Harry shrugged, frowning in thought.

"I could eat," he said noncommittally. "You have somewhere in mind?"

"There's a great little bistro just around the corner," Tony told him, changing their course. "It's usually a jacket-and-tie place, but, well, Tony Stark," he explained, making Harry snort. Tony Stark was definitely a valid reason for not doing things people expected you to, Harry was coming to understand.

"Sounds classy," Harry mused, imagining an uptight place where any noise above a low murmur was frowned upon. Still, if Tony liked it, it couldn't be too strict.

"It's awesome, pretty much everything on their menu is drool-worthy. I'm pretty sure I had an orgasm just from their steak once," the billionaire insisted seriously. "Or that could've been the hot waiter boy bending over all the time." Harry laughed, shoving him playfully in the shoulder.

"Pervert," he muttered, and Tony grinned.

"You know it," he agreed proudly. He stopped them in front of a low-lit, elegant-looking bistro, where everyone was wearing formal clothes, and the waiting staff were all in tuxes. Still, the doorman didn't recoil at seeing them so underdressed, a polite smile on his face.

"Mr Stark, welcome back," he greeted courteously, offering a short bow.

"Renaldo, my good man, good to see you. City treating you well?" Tony queried, smiling.

"Can't complain, sir," Renaldo replied with a wry smile, opening the door. "Enjoy your meal, sirs." Harry followed Tony through, and they were immediately greeted by an immaculately-dressed blonde woman.

"Mr Stark, it's good to see you," she chirped, making no mention of their clothing. "Private table for two?"

"Please, Samantha," Tony requested, hand a warm presence on Harry's back. The blonde led them through to a private room with a table for two, and Harry rolled his eyes when Tony held his chair out for him. "Scotch for me, please, Sam. You know what I like." He made the words as innuendo-laden as possible, and Harry was impressed when the woman merely smiled politely and wrote down an order.

"And for you, sir?" she asked, turning to Harry.

"Just water, please." He'd already had one drink, and it was a little early in the day for any more. Samantha nodded, the smile still on her face.

"I'll leave you to choose your meals, then. The fish special today is roasted monkfish with fresh greens and mashed potato, and the soup of the day is red pepper and tomato," she added, leaving them alone. Harry picked up his menu, glancing over at Tony.

"You eat here a lot, then?" he queried, scanning the many options. Everything looked amazing.

"Almost every time I come to New York," Tony confirmed, reaching for a bread roll from the centre of the table. He didn't bother buttering it, merely gnawing at the thick crust. "Which is becoming increasingly more often. I'm thinking about just calling it and building a place here, but I love Malibu too much to leave without good reason."

"You have a private jet, you can afford to travel between the two," Harry reasoned. "How's the pasta here?"

"Amazing, as is everything else. I definitely recommend the shrimp marinara, or the meatballs," Tony replied, perusing his own menu and biting his lip. "I think I'm gonna go for the club sandwich and a cup of soup. Did you see anything in the city you wanted to do today?"

"Not really. I mean, I did think about the theatre, but… I'm not really in the mood today. I assumed you'd be just full of ideas," Harry added somewhat dryly. Tony smirked at him, swallowing his mouthful of bread.

"Oh, bright eyes, you know I am." Samantha returned with their drinks, and they gave her their orders, Harry deciding on the shrimp marinara. "Only problem with a private room; no other patrons to make fun of," Tony mused with a small frown. Harry snorted, shaking his head.

"Just be thankful for the privacy," he reasoned. "The press have had plenty of photos of us together, and now with you bringing me to New York, they'll probably start saying we're getting married or something ridiculous." He'd already seen a fair few magazines with his face on the cover next to Tony's, though he was still a 'nameless man'. It was a very good thing the Death Eaters were all rounded up, though, or he'd be in serious trouble. He was still amazed he hadn't been tracked down by a crazed fan.

"Meh, give them something to talk about. Better than printing stories about how many people my weapons have killed this week," he added with a wry, bitter smile. Harry raised an eyebrow, and Tony nodded. "That's their favourite angle at the moment. They moved on from 'Alcoholic Tony Stark' and 'Playboy Tony Stark' to 'Mass-Murderer Tony Stark'. Even given me a new nickname; the Merchant of Death. It'll probably go through to 'Daddy-Issues Tony Stark', 'Mental-Patient Tony Stark', and 'Self-Destructive Tony Stark' before shifting nicely back to Alcoholic. These things cycle, y'know." His tone was very matter-of-fact, but Harry's heart clenched in sympathy. He was, for the most part, past the press slandering him. But spending his teenage years flipping between the public's perfect hero and the next Dark Lord had not been fun.

"How long have they been doing that?" he asked curiously, and Tony shrugged.

"A while. When I was a kid it was mostly small stuff; my achievements, me going to college at fifteen, the occasional house party disaster or walk-of-shame-er leaving my room. Dad threw a fit the first time they got pictures of me making out with a guy. Got over it pretty quick, though, once Mom talked some sense into him."

"Ouch," Harry said with a wince. "Can't be fun, being in the public eye since birth." At least he'd had the first eleven years media-free, and had been fairly well protected while at Hogwarts. Very few of the articles during his school years had had photo evidence, most were just speculation. He couldn't imagine having reporters constantly in his face while at school, too.

"You get used to it," Tony replied. They were interrupted when Samantha brought in their food, and conversation turned to far lighter topics; mostly revolving around how yes, the food definitely was orgasm-worthy. Harry managed to convince Tony not to try and give him that orgasm, though the socked foot rubbing at his inner thigh definitely wasn't helping him keep the resolve. Still, he didn't want to be thrown out of a posh restaurant for getting off with Tony Stark in their private room.

They head back out to Central Park after the meal, and Tony took Harry on a quick tour around the areas of the city he hadn't already wandered through. The Statue of Liberty was closed for repairs, so they only saw it from afar, but Tony managed to get him fairly high up in the Empire State Building, and when it started getting dark, Tony led him back to Broadway to see Times Square all lit up. "Wow," Harry breathed, awed. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, it sure is," Tony agreed softly, his arm wrapped around Harry's waist. "You hungry?"

"Why, got another fancy restaurant lined up for dinner?" Harry asked, but Tony merely grinned secretively.

"Not quite. Come on." He pulled Harry forward, and Harry wasn't surprised when they ended up in Central Park once more. The street lights were on, and the park seemed to have a whole new atmosphere in the evening. It was far quieter, and they weren't the only couple walking close together through the park. Tony led him up to a small pizzeria, leaning on the counter. "One large pepperoni to go, please. Extra cheese," he ordered, turning to grin at Harry. "You haven't lived until you've had pizza from New York." Tony grinned as the pizza box was handed over to him, paying the man with what Harry knew was far more than the pizza actually cost, insisting he keep the change. Carrying his prize from the restaurant, Tony led Harry over to an empty bench, setting the pizza between them. Harry picked a large slice, cupping it carefully as the cheese dripped over the edges.

"Oh, wow, that's good," he groaned as soon as the pizza hit his tongue, making Tony smirk.

"Told you," he replied, grabbing his own slice of pizza. "Nothing better than authentic New York pizza in Central Park with gorgeous company." Harry flushed lightly, keeping his gaze fixed on the pizza. A few people walked past, but very few paid much attention to them, and even then no one actually dared approach them. Harry appreciated it; he didn't want gushing fans spoiling his time with Tony. "So how'd you like New York?" Tony questioned, already on his second slice.

"It's great," Harry replied. "Much better with someone showing me around, though."

"I live to serve," Tony replied dryly, giving a salacious look after his words that made Harry snicker. "It's been a while since I took a tour around here, though. Usually it's in and out with very few detours. Good to know I still know where I'm going."

"You grew up here, didn't you?" Harry asked, remembering an article referencing Tony's childhood in New York somewhere. The man faltered briefly, but nodded.

"Oh yeah. Stark Manor is up in the classier area of the city; huge, ugly old place. Mom had terrible taste, but… I never got round to redecorating," he replied lightly. Harry understood what he wasn't saying; he never got round to going back. "I'd bulldoze the place if it wasn't a 'building of historical interest'," he added, complete with air-quotes. "Nothing but bad memories, it's not good for the atmosphere." Harry gave a small, knowing half-smile.

"Up until I was eleven, my bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs," he revealed before he could stop himself. He winced upon realising how it sounded, and Tony blinked at him, staring for a long moment. Expecting some question about what happened, or how he was _feeling_ after his trauma, Harry was surprised when Tony merely raised a pizza slice towards him.

"To shitty childhoods," he toasted, and Harry snorted, knocking his own pizza against Tony's.

"To shitty childhoods," he parroted, stuffing nearly half the slice in his mouth at once.

"Y'know what would go great with this pizza? Some beer," Tony declared, glancing around. "You want a beer, gorgeous?" Harry shrugged, leaning back into the bench.

"I could go for one, yeah." Tony ate the last of his pizza slice, licking his fingers and getting to his feet.

"I'll be back in five; don't you dare go anywhere," he instructed, already half-jogging over to a small deli nearby. Harry stared after him, bemused, and snorted aloud when the billionaire returned with a six-pack of beer.

"I'm not even going to ask where you got that at this time of night," he replied, happily accepting a bottle. "Tony, we don't have a bottle opener." Tony smirked, taking the bottle back and clamping the top between his teeth, popping it straight off.

"Party trick," he replied, passing the bottle to Harry. "Excuse the mouth on your bottle." Harry snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"It's been everywhere else, why not on my bottle?" he retorted, taking a long drag. It was weaker than the beer he was used to, but still fairly decent.

"This is very true. And the mouth is definitely willing to find more places to go," Tony assured him, eyes obviously searching Harry's body for places his mouth hadn't yet been. Harry smirked, reaching for another slice of pizza.

"The mouth is very much welcome to, after we get back to the hotel room. But it's a beautiful night, we shouldn't waste it indoors," the Brit reasoned, glancing up at the cloudless dark sky.

"Again, very true. Oh, wow, what the hell is that woman wearing?" Harry looked around, trying to see who Tony was pointing out. "Tall, blonde, a little on the chubby side. Walking with a short dark-haired guy with giant ears." Harry spotted the couple in question, and couldn't stop the snickers that escaped his mouth. The woman, probably in her early thirties, was wearing some sort of wrap dress that looked like a child had made it out of some really ugly curtains.

"Bloody hell. People like her should not be allowed to dress themselves," Harry remarked incredulously. Tony nodded emphatically, and they quickly started up a game; who could spot the most ridiculously dressed person. In a city like New York, there were plenty of people to choose from, and Harry was pretty sure he won by pointing out a group of teenage girls in lurid neon leggings and plaid schoolgirl-skirts, their white shirts knotted above their bellybuttons and unbuttoned so low their equally neon bras could be seen. But they seemed very drunk, and had glitter on their faces, so Harry assumed they were off to some sort of themed party. He hoped.

Their game was interrupted when Pepper called, telling Tony she was back at their hotel room, and to not forget they flew out early in the morning. Tony waved off her concerns, telling her not to wait up, then hung up and continued scouting, leaning into Harry's side. The empty pizza box had been dumped in a bin a few feet away, and they were down to the last two beers. It was getting late, and fewer people passed their way. That didn't stop them, though, and their game ended (on a reluctant tie) to make way for conversation. Most of it was about concept ideas Tony had for the business, though that quickly led to the pair of them trying to think of the most outlandish and ridiculous machine for Tony to build, laws of physics non-applicable.

Before they knew it, it was nearly three in the morning, and they were out of both beer and ideas. It was starting to get a little chilly, and Harry was practically curled up on Tony's lap, the older man's arm tucked around him to keep warm. "Maybe we should head back to the hotel room," Harry suggested, head resting on Tony's shoulder. "It's late, and we have a flight in the morning." Tony hummed, fingers tapping a rhythm on Harry's thigh.

"Bright eyes, it's gone far past late and into early," he pointed out, making Harry laugh.

"All the more reason to go to bed," he reasoned, gaining a mischievous smile and letting his hand trail down Tony's chest, tugging lightly at the button of his jeans. "I believe I promised to let your mouth do some exploring." Tony groaned lowly, his grip on Harry tightening.

"The hotel room sounds like a brilliant idea," he declared suddenly, practically lifting Harry in his effort to stand up quickly. Harry regained his footing quickly, still in Tony's embrace.

"Knew you'd see it my way." Their pace was quick as they headed back to the hotel, and more than once they almost ended up fucking in an alleyway instead. There was no one around in the hotel to see them sneaking up to their room like a pair of teenagers, Tony's fly undone and Harry's shirt half-unbuttoned, hair mussed and lips swollen. Their shirts didn't last long once they got to their room — locking the door so Pepper couldn't disturb them if she woke up from the noise — and Harry huffed out a laugh as Tony pushed him down on the bed, open jeans riding low as the American straddled his younger partner. Stubble scratched at Harry's skin as Tony's lips and tongue roamed his torso, clearly determined to cover every inch of him. His jeans feeling far too tight, Harry squirmed under the touch, but Tony didn't let up, biting at his nipple.

"Feisty, aren't you?" he murmured, chin pressed to the dip of Harry's sternum as his tongue swiped up the teen's collarbone. "Maybe I should invest in some cuffs." Harry groaned loudly at the prospect of being cuffed, embarrassed by how much the thought turned him on. Tony clearly noticed, for he sat up, smirking smugly. "You like that idea, huh? _Definitely_ investing in cuffs if it gets you to make that sound again." His fingers skated up Harry's denim-clad thighs as his mouth moved lower, leaving a trail of dark love-bites across his abs as he followed the treasure trail down, stopping at the waistband of Harry's boxers.

"Tony, don't be such a tease," Harry whined, bucking his hips impatiently. Tony smacked him lightly on the side in reprimand, engrossed in making a red-purple mottled mess of Harry's slightly protruding hipbones.

"Everything about you is so fucking sexy, y'know that?" Tony muttered, finally tugging Harry's jeans down his legs, leaving his boxers in place. "God, I got lucky with you." Harry could barely hear the compliments, already half-lost to pleasure.

"Tony, _please_ , touch me," he begged breathlessly, trying to rub himself up against the older man. Tony gripped him through his underwear, drawing a low cry from the Brit. Harry's hands were clenched around the top of the headboard in order to try and ground himself, and Tony rocked back on his heels to survey the sight, his cock having escaped the fly of his jeans and pressing near-painfully against his silk boxers, straining for freedom. Quickly shucking both, Tony tore Harry's boxers down with his teeth, nipping lightly up the inside of the teen's thigh in all the places he knew made Harry lose control. Harry was nearly incoherent by the time Tony finally took him in his mouth, and it was only due to getting used to the sexual torture over the past week that he didn't come embarrassingly quickly. It was still over far too soon, though, and Harry pried his hands off the headboard, staring dazedly up at Tony, who was still straddling him. The American was still hard, and Harry smirked, pushing his fog away to reach out and grip Tony by the shoulder, pulling himself into a sitting position and causing Tony to grind against his abs, the older man letting out a soft keening noise at the motion. Harry brought their lips together hotly, the kiss a messy tangle of tongues and teeth as Harry grabbed Tony's cock and tugged, his other hand on Tony's ass encouraging him to rut against Harry's hips. Tony pulled away from the kiss and sunk his teeth lightly into the teen's shoulder as he came, the hot mess splattering Harry's stomach. The green-eyed wizard didn't care, pulling them both down to lie on the bed, Tony still draped over him.

"Fuck," the billionaire breathed, bringing lust-blown eyes to meet Harry's gaze. "Okay, things learned tonight. Bondage turns you on, and your abs are like fucking titanium."

"And you have a biting fetish," Harry added amusedly, rubbing at his shoulder. "I look like I've been mauled."

"Who says you haven't?" Tony returned with a wink, before looking at him more seriously. "Didn't hurt you, did I?" Harry chuckled, shaking his head.

"Not at all," he assured. Tony looked pleased, and absently bit down on the top of Harry's shoulder, sucking a deep purple hickey on the spot. Harry hummed at the sensation, eyes fluttering shut. "Don't know about you, but I could go again in about ten minutes," the wizard declared, making Tony snort.

"Gorgeous, you deeply overestimate my sexual prowess, and for that I thank you. Give me twenty-five and I'll fuck you," he offered.

"Or you could give me ten and I'll fuck you," Harry suggested in return. He hadn't yet topped, but he thought he might enjoy it, and he wanted to see what Tony was like bottoming. Probably a pushy bottom, if his attitude in everything else was to go by. Tony was still, and Harry wondered if he overstepped, before the older man kissed the love-bite he'd just made.

"That sounds like the best idea I've heard all night," he declared, making Harry grin widely. New York would definitely be memorable for him.

.-.-.

Pepper let them sleep in the next morning, though they were still on the jet by ten. Harry took no small amount of pride in the way Tony seemed to have a little trouble sitting, and Pepper wisely didn't mention it. "Don't suppose you've got any more business trips coming up in the next week, have you? Florida, maybe?" Harry asked cheekily, Tony's head in his lap as they sprawled out on the sofa in the jet.

"Unfortunately no, though I'm sure we could arrange something if you're that desperate. Or maybe I won't, and then you'll have to come back to the States and see Florida and then I can kidnap you there," Tony replied, making Harry snicker. He quite liked that plan.

"No objections there," he assured, fingers carding through Tony's hair.

"Hey, Pep, consent negates kidnapping charges, right?" Tony called to the redhead, who rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Tony. It's not kidnapping if it's consensual," she confirmed. Tony smirked in satisfaction, eyes falling half-shut. "Don't fall asleep, Tony. You've got a meeting twenty minutes after wheels down, and I am not dealing with you cranky from being woken up from your nap." Tony whined, turning to shoot her a glare.

"But Mo-om!" he protested childishly, and Harry sniggered at the look on Pepper's face.

"But nothing," she said firmly. "Stay awake. Evan, pull his hair if he starts falling asleep."

"Well, Pep, if you wanted to watch us, you should've just said so," Tony drawled. "Wouldn't have pegged you for a voyeur."

"He has a hair-pulling thing," Harry informed her matter-of-factly at the expression on her face. She blinked, looking unimpressed.

"Of course he does," she deadpanned, sighing in frustration. "Do whatever you can to keep him awake that _won't_ turn him on."

"Hate to break it to you Pep, but if Evan's doing it, chances are it'll turn me on," Tony piped up cheerfully. Pepper merely let her head sink into her hands.

"I give up. Fall asleep for all I care, if the only other option is you two screwing in front of me," she muttered. Harry snorted, rolling his eyes when Tony, eyes closed, offered him a fist-bump.

.-.

Happy was waiting to pick them up when they landed, and they did a quick detour to Harry's hotel to drop him off, Tony pulling him into a long kiss before allowing him to get out of the car. "See you tomorrow, bright eyes. Don't have too much fun without me," he teased, making Harry grin.

"Oh, I'll try. See you tomorrow." Stepping back to allow the door to close and Happy to pull out, Harry shouldered his overnight bag and went up to his hotel room, unpacking the few things he'd bought to shrink down and put in his suitcase with the rest of the gifts. It was insane how one chance meeting had completely changed his trip; he never would've imagined going to New York beforehand. Still, he mused as he flopped down on the sofa, preparing to catch up on sleep; he had nothing to complain about.


	6. Chapter 6

It was JARVIS who made Harry realise. He and Tony had been in Tony's workshop, the billionaire working on… something, and Harry absently playing catch with Dummy. Well, it was more fetch, because Dummy very rarely caught the tennis ball and kept having to race after it to retrieve it, whirring happily. "Sir, don't you think you should work on the jet engines first?" JARVIS piped up. "They're due at the conference in nine days." Tony looked up, eyebrows rising.

"Is it the 8th already?" he asked, surprised. Harry froze, then winced as the tennis ball hit him in the face. "Dummy! Play gently, you know you're not meant to throw things at people's heads," Tony scolded, and the bot made a sad clicking noise, ducking his 'head' in apology. Harry offered the machine a smile, reaching over to pet him gently.

"No worries, Dummy, it was my fault; I wasn't paying attention," he replied, and Dummy brightened up, immediately going after the ball.

"Everything okay?" Tony asked, getting up from his place on the floor and wandering over, a faint frown on his face. Harry shrugged, leaning into Tony's side, ignoring the motor oil and grease stains on his t-shirt and arms.

"I fly out on the 14th," he murmured, feeling Tony tense.

"Oh. That sucks." Harry snorted, tilting his head to look up at the older man.

"Understatement." Tony's hand rested on Harry's neck, leaving a black-brown smudge as his thumb gently stroked the skin at the nape of his neck.

"You could stay longer," he suggested. "I'll pay for your hotel room as long as you want, no big deal. Or you could have one of the guest rooms here; it's not like I don't have the room." Harry was tempted to point out that if he stayed as long as he wanted, he'd never leave. He couldn't, though; he had a life to get back to in England.

"I can't," he replied forlornly. "I have to go home sooner or later. I have college to prepare for, and I need to get back for my godfather." He always hated the thought of Remus alone in Grimmauld, even though the werewolf insisted he was fine on his own. Tony hummed, shifting round to sit straddling Harry's lap.

"Guess you'll just have to make the most of your last week here," he mused, Harry's arms automatically coming up around his waist. Harry smiled, leaning in for a kiss.

"Guess I will," he agreed against the other man's lips. His chest tightened at the prospect of leaving Tony, but he didn't voice his trouble; Tony was probably waiting for him to leave so he could get back to his life. He'd enjoy his last week, then leave, and try and forget the amazing man he'd met on holiday.

Tony cursed as a tennis ball whacked him in the back of the head, turning around to glare at Dummy. "Damn it, can't you see I'm busy! Playtime is over," he scolded, and Dummy wheeled forward, tugging on Tony's shirt. "Oh Jesus Christ you are such a spoiled brat, why did I make you," he muttered, making Harry laugh.

"He just wants attention from his dad," he teased, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Like I said; spoiled brat."

.-.-.

Tony was busy for most of the next day, and Harry went home that morning after breakfast with Tony and Pepper, having spent the night with Tony on the cot in the workshop. He had a nap in his hotel room, catching up on missed sleep from the night before, then found somewhere for lunch before going back to start packing away all the presents he'd bought for people. He had to do it carefully; there was only so much stress he could put on the expansion charms before it would falter surrounded by so much technology on the flight back. And he'd bought a lot. He considered shrinking up a package and finding somewhere to hire an owl to carry it home, but saved that as a last resort idea.

He smiled to himself when there was a series of sharp knocks on his hotel room door, knowing it could only be one person. "Well hello there," he greeted with a grin, opening the door to see Tony stood outside, dressed in smart jeans and a shirt with a jacket draped over his arm. His eyes roamed blatantly over Harry's figure, and he smirked.

"Hello," he returned, leering. "Grab a jacket, we're going out." Harry rolled his eyes, but turned back into the room, allowing Tony to follow him in.

"Sure, just let me change my shirt," he replied, stripping his t-shirt off and tossing it on the sofa.

"Well now, if you do that we'll never leave," Tony warned, moving closer, but Harry pushed him away laughingly.

"Oh, no, mister; you said out, so we're going out. Two seconds." Leaning in for a quick kiss, he darted into the bedroom, spraying some deodorant and grabbing a nicer shirt, doing up the buttons as he walked back into the living room area to meet Tony. Grabbing his leather jacket off the back of the armchair, he smiled at the older man. "Okay, let's go," he urged, heading for the door. "Where are we going, anyway?" Tony's arm slung low around the teen's hips, and he smirked.

"Surprise," he insisted. "You'll have fun, I promise." Harry smiled, not asking any more, as much as he'd like to bug Tony about it. Getting into the waiting car with a quick greeting to Happy, Harry leaned against Tony's shoulder, rolling his eyes at the hand that settled on his thigh. Still, it didn't go any higher, so he placed his hand over it and let it stay.

"How were your meetings?" he asked, making the genius groan.

"Awful. They're all boring. I spent most of the first one figuring out an upgrade on the Starkphone, and the second one playing Tetris until Pepper caught me." Harry snickered, imagining how annoyed the redhead must have been. "But then I spent like four hours in the shop, so it's all good. But Dummy wants to play catch _all_ the time now, that's totally your fault," he accused, pouting.

"Aww, he just wants to have fun," Harry reasoned, and Tony huffed.

"He's a helper bot, he's not meant to want to have fun, he's meant to want to help me. I really should rebuild his code from scratch, iron out the defects," he mused, though Harry knew he wouldn't do it. He loved Dummy's quirky, slightly defunct personality, even if he complained about him half the time. "Happy, pull up just here." Harry's eyebrows rose, surprised they were already at their destination, and his jaw dropped when he saw where Tony had brought him.

"We're at the funfair," he realised, stunned. The neon lights decorating the rides twinkled brightly against the darkening sky, and music blared from speakers all over the pier. He'd seen it during the daytime, but never had the chance to go, and hadn't really wanted to go on his own.

"Everyone loves the funfair," Tony declared sagely. Harry turned, grinning at him, and pulled him into a hard kiss.

"I've never been, so I'll have to take your word for it," he admitted, causing the shorter man's jaw to go slack.

"You've never been to the funfair? That's just sacrilege; I know there are funfairs in England. That's it, come on." Tony slipped his hand into Harry's, dragging him further down the pier to the ticket booth, smiling charmingly at the man handing out wristbands. "One for me, and one for my friend here," he requested, slapping far too much money on the counter. "And some of those ride coupon token things, please." The pimple-faced teen seemed shocked at having Tony Stark stood in front of him, and couldn't quite bring himself to speak. Gaping like a fish as he gathered their wristbands and tokens, he passed them over and Tony winked, ignoring the many whispering people who had noticed who he was.

"Where to first?" Harry asked, fastening his wristband with an excited grin. He actually felt his seventeen years of age for once, practically bouncing with excitement as he looked at all the rides and games. Tony grinned back at him, taking him by the hand.

"Wherever you want; we are not leaving until we've been on every single ride at least once," he declared, already heading for the nearest; a roller-coaster that circled the entire pier. Harry laughed, jogging to keep up, a wide smile on his face. His time in Malibu was just filling up with new experiences.

.-.-.

When Tony had said they were going to ride everything, he really hadn't been kidding. Several times they'd skipped to the front of a line just because he was Tony Stark, though they were stopped fairly often for people wanting autographs or photos. Tony bought an obscene amount of candy floss and doughnuts when Harry said he was hungry, as well as hotdogs for each of them. "There is no way we could possibly eat all that between us," Harry said with wide eyes fixed on the tall pink confection. Tony smirked wolfishly at him.

"Challenge accepted. Come on, you'll like it, it's good," he urged, tipping the candy floss towards Harry, who took a tentative bite. Tony seemed determined to make sure Harry experienced every aspect of the funfair, including all of the greasy deep-fried things and the things that were 99 percent sugar. Harry figured real dinner could be bypassed just once. "Can you shoot?" Tony asked, and Harry blinked, glancing at the shooting game Tony was pointing to. The guns fired corks, and the aim seemed to be to knock rubber ducks off a ledge.

"I can indeed. Can you?" Tony seemed surprised, making Harry grin slightly. Tonks had been the one to insist he learn how to use muggle weapons as well as his magic, on the off chance he might be able to shoot or stab Death Eaters.

"Gorgeous, I make guns for a living, of course I can shoot. Winner gets to top tonight?" Harry laughed, allowing the older man to drag him towards the game stall.

"You're on." Tony paid for both of their turns, and the man handed Harry a gun, explaining the rules of the game. Seven shots in total, three won a small prize, five won a medium prize, and seven won one of the giant toys hanging from the roof of the tent. Harry shouldered the rifle, lining up his aim carefully. He grinned when his first shot struck a blue duck in the head, knocking it clean off its ledge. He kept going, hitting down a row of brightly coloured ducks, and was just lining up his final shot when he felt a hand grab his arse, sending his cork flying wide. "You cheat!" he exclaimed, turning to Tony, who was attempting to look innocent.

"I didn't do anything, green eyes," he insisted, making Harry snort.

"So it was a ghost that just groped my arse then, was it?" he retorted wryly. Tony nodded, and Harry rolled his eyes. "Such a cheat, Tony Stark," he muttered. Tony grinned, pulling him close and kissing him lightly.

"Not unless you can prove it. Now, my turn," he pointed out, taking the gun and re-loading it with corks.

"Uh, you've still won a medium prize, sir. Choose from any of these," the man running the stall said to Harry, gesturing to the rows of cuddly toys. Harry's eyes trailed over the rows, and he grinned when he spotted a cuddly lion mid-roar. He picked it out, tucking it under the arm that wasn't holding cotton candy, and Tony grinned.

"Cute." He leaned forward, setting up his shots, and Harry sighed when Tony hit down all seven of his ducks. He was too nice to cheat like his lover had.

"Congratulations, sir; which toy would you like?" Tony hummed, looking at the large hanging toys.

"Bright eyes, which toy d'you want?" Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he shook his head.

"No, Tony, it's yours, you pick," he insisted, making Tony roll his eyes.

"I won it for you, you pick." Harry bit his lip, and Tony sighed, looking up at the toys once more. "That penguin's pretty cool." The toy in question was a giant purple and white penguin with a black and purple top-hat, and it was half as tall as Tony himself.

"That is a very cool penguin," Harry agreed, making the older man grin.

"Excellent. We'll take the penguin." The stall runner smiled, reaching up with a pole to unhook the penguin.

"Good choice, sir." He passed the penguin to Tony, who immediately presented it to Harry.

"Thank you," he murmured, leaning in for a brief kiss. "But what the hell am I gonna do with a giant penguin for the rest of the night? I barely have enough arms for all this food as it is," he pointed out, gesturing to the candy floss and half a bag of doughnuts he still had left.

"Happy can go put it in the car," Tony replied dismissively. He pressed a finger to the bluetooth device in his ear. "Happy, could you come here for a second? We need you to put a giant penguin in the car." Harry snorted, though he doubted it was the strangest request Tony had made of his driver/bodyguard. The man appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and Harry passed him both the penguin and his lion.

"How the hell am I even going to get that back home?" he muttered to himself as they carried on walking, heading for the huge ferris wheel at the end of the pier.

"You could box it up and get it shipped, I'll cover the cost," Tony suggested. Harry hummed, figuring that was probably the only way; he could hardly shrink it now Tony knew he'd have to get it home somehow.

"Yeah, probably. I can pay the fee though." Tony covered his mouth with a hand, shaking his head.

"I won you the penguin, I'll pay for his voyage home," he insisted. Harry snorted, but agreed, and they both handed tokens over to get on the ferris wheel, their thighs pressed together in the small carriage. Tony's arm slung around Harry's shoulders, pulling him into his side. Harry smiled, resting his head on Tony's chest as they started moving. It really was a beautiful view of the city, especially when they got nearer the top. "Y'know, I've always wanted to have sex on a ferris wheel," Tony said conversationally, and Harry snorted.

"No, Tony," he said flatly, making the man whine.

"Aw, c'mon Evan, please?" he urged, free hand reaching to slide under Harry's shirt. Harry smacked his wrist lightly, laughing.

"No, Tony. I'm not having sex with you up here when we both know there's a hundred odd cameras on us right now," he insisted. He'd have to be blind not to notice the many people with either actual cameras or phone cameras that had been snapping photos of them all evening.

"Fine," Tony pouted, letting his hand lower to Harry's knee. "But you'd better make it up to me when we get back to mine." Harry smirked.

"Now that I can do." He leaned in for a kiss, Tony's lips moving easily against his own. Just because he didn't want to have sex in public didn't mean he wasn't perfectly happy to give the cameras something to look at. Nosy bastards might go home after they got a photo, but he doubted it.

"Mm, I hope that's a sign of what's to come," Tony murmured, still holding Harry close. The position was a little uncomfortable due to the bar keeping them in place, but they'd been in worse.

"Might be, if you're good," Harry replied teasingly, nipping at Tony's bottom lip.

"Bright eyes, I'm _always_ good," Tony drawled, smirking. The mood was broken when Tony's phone began to bleep loudly, and the billionaire groaned, shifting to fish it from his pocket. "This had better be good, Pepper."

"Where the hell are you, and why aren't you filling out the paperwork for the weapons deal tomorrow?" Pepper's voice came over the phone, loud enough for Harry to hear.

"Wait, I was supposed to fill those out?" Tony asked, surprised. "I'll do it in the morning, I promise; I'm at the funfair with Evan. Hey, you should totally come join us. That'd be awesome." Harry grinned, nodding to show his approval. He liked Pepper, and wanted to spend more time with her before he left.

"Tony, I have work to do," she started, but Tony cut her off.

"Not anymore you don't, I'm giving you the night off. Now come to the funfair with us. You know you want to." Pepper began to protest, but she was interrupted once more. "Come on, Pep, you know I won't take no for an answer. We're on the ferris wheel at the moment but we'll be done by the time you get here. Text me when you're here and we'll meet you at the gates."

"Ugh, fine, give me twenty minutes," she relented, making Tony grin smugly.

"See you soon, Pepperpot." Tony hung up, putting his phone away, and wiggled his eyebrows at Harry. "Now, where were we?" Harry laughed, shaking his head and resting his head on Tony's shoulder.

"Pepper's coming out, huh?" he asked, and Tony nodded, chin propped on Harry's head.

"Yeah. It'll be good for her to have a night off, doing something fun; she's been working way too hard lately." He sounded vaguely guilty, but Harry knew Tony worked equally hard, just on different things. He single-handedly invented eight out of ten of Stark Industries' new designs, and created several prototypes before even thinking about handing the designs over to his employees.

They reached the bottom of the wheel and got off, unsurprised to find Happy waiting patiently for them, prepared to continue following from afar as he'd been doing all night. "How does ice cream sound to you?" Tony asked, making Harry grin.

"Sounds brilliant."

.-.

Pepper texted Tony about fifteen minutes after the phone call, and they met her just by the ticket booth. She was in dark blue skinny jeans and a loose white vest top with a faded design printed on it, high-heeled boots on her feet and a black jacket over her arm. It was a far cry from her usual suits and stilettos, but she still looked beautiful in Harry's opinion. Tony managed to get to her before she could buy her wristband, insisting on paying for her, and Harry offered her a grin. "Evening, Pepper," he greeted.

"Hi, Evan. Having fun?" He laughed, nodding.

"Yeah, it's been great. Though I've definitely eaten too much sugar," he groaned with a smile. Tony shook his head, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"No such thing as too much sugar," he declared childishly. "Now come on; we still have five rides to go on. And you need to see Pepper do ring toss. She's like, a ring toss ninja." He grabbed both of them by the hand, tugging them towards a ride that spun insanely fast in both vertical and horizontal directions, and Harry felt his stomach turn unpleasantly in anticipation. He suddenly regretted having that extra doughnut.

Luckily, his iron stomach held through the ride, though it was definitely a close call. Not wanting to test himself too much, he begged Pepper to show him her ring toss skills, hoping the extra time would help his stomach settle before the next ride. Pepper agreed, and they found the nearest ring toss game, where the prizes were — of course — an assortment of cuddly toys. With Tony paying for her turn, Pepper picked up the five rings, testing the weight of one in her hand. "Watch and be amazed, green eyes," Tony murmured in Harry's ear, his hand in the teen's back pocket. Harry's jaw dropped as Pepper tossed each ring seemingly effortlessly, neatly hooking them around the post until all five of them were piled on top of each other.

"Okay, that's pretty impressive," he remarked, and Pepper smiled, reaching for a large stuffed cat.

"One of my many impressive but useless talents," she joked, tucking the cat toy in the crook of her arm and walking beside Tony as they wandered back down the pier, looking for things they hadn't done yet.

"None of your talents are useless, Pep," Tony retorted, grinning. "That one just got you a toy cat. Totally not useless." Pepper laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever. Now make yourself useful and buy me a soda and a burger, I've not eaten since that crappy corporate lunch," she urged, poking him in the shoulder. Tony took his hand from Harry's pocket and offered a short, mocking bow.

"Your wish is my command. Gorgeous, you want anything?" Harry shook his head, and Tony darted off towards the nearest concessions stand.

"He's gonna be locked up in the workshop for days when you leave," Pepper mused softly, though Harry still heard her. "Weeks, maybe. He'll really miss you." Harry swallowed the lump in his throat, turning to offer her a faint smile.

"I'll really miss him, too. I wish I could stay, but…" Pepper nodded, not needing him to finish his sentence. Tony returned with Pepper's food, frowning at the look on Harry's face.

"You okay, Evan?" he asked, and Harry nodded, attempting a smile.

"Yeah, fine." Tony didn't seem to believe him, but Harry reached out to take his hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm fine," he insisted, and Tony let the subject drop. Still, he didn't let go of Harry's hand.

.-.

It was late by the time the three of them eventually decided to leave, and the funfair was starting to close for the night. Happy led them back to the car, and they strapped the giant penguin into the front seat so they could take the back, Tony in the middle. "The worst thing is, this isn't even the weirdest thing I've had in my front seat," Happy declared, making them snicker.

"There was that one time with the baby sea-lion. That was pretty weird," Tony mused, and Harry raised an eyebrow, demanding an explanation. "I was drunk and decided to kidnap a sea-lion from the aquarium. Not my finest moment," the genius admitted, slightly sheepish. Harry snorted, shaking his head.

"Happy was _helping_ you?" The driver barked out a laugh, glancing over his shoulder to grin at Harry.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time." Harry sighed, sharing an exasperated look with Pepper. How the hell did she cope with the pair of them on her own?

They dropped Pepper off at her apartment before heading back to Tony's, and their movements were languid as they went up to bed and undressed, stripping each other with no real urgency. They were both tired, but definitely not too tired for sex. Harry allowed himself to be pushed back against the bed, Tony straddling him with a predatory look in his eyes. "You promised to make it up to me," he murmured, trailing lazy kisses down Harry's bare chest.

"Yeah, and you promised to top tonight," Harry retorted, reminding the genius of their bet over the shooting. "So get on with it." Tony laughed, tweaking Harry's nipple.

"Yes, sir."

.-.-.-.

Tony had some sort of meeting-conference-deal-thing with the army the next day, so Harry went back to his hotel room fairly early, after Tony promised to take him out to dinner when he got back. Deciding he couldn't be bothered with packing, Harry mostly spent the day watching TV and taking sporadic walks across the beachfront. He definitely wanted to get a television when he got back to Grimmauld; he could keep it in his room, which was probably as much of a magic-free zone as he was going to get in that house. It had surprised everyone when Harry Potter himself had started an almost muggle lifestyle after graduating Hogwarts, but he just didn't see the point in using magic for things he could do just fine the muggle way.

He was surprised to find that Tony wasn't alone when he came to pick him up for dinner. Harry was in the lobby bar, having just returned from a walk, and he spotted his lover walking across the lobby with a man in army dress uniform in tow. "Tony, why are we even here?" the man was asking, and Harry grinned to himself at Tony's reply.

"Picking up someone, I think you'll like him."

"Well you won't find me up there," Harry called in amusement, watching Tony's head snap round at his voice. He smiled brightly, changing course.

"Hey there, bright eyes. What you doing down here?" he queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Went for a walk, then figured I'd wait for you down here. Drink?" he asked, offering his half-full glass to the older man, who downed the remainder in one. "Who's your friend?" Tony grinned, tugging the military man forward by the wrist.

"Evan, Rhodey. Rhodey, Evan. Play nice," he introduced, and Harry nodded in comprehension. Tony had told him briefly about Rhodey, though Harry hadn't known he'd be the one at the army conference.

"This is the one the internet won't shut up about?" Rhodey asked, eyeing Harry speculatively.

"I suppose so, though I have to say I've not checked. It's a pleasure," the Brit replied evenly, holding out a hand. Rhodey shook it with a firm grip, and Tony grinned.

"Excellent, now we're all friends. Let's go." As was habit, his hand slid into Harry's as they walked, something Rhodey obviously didn't miss if his raised eyebrows were anything to go by.

They ended up at a casual grill-type restaurant, the waiter directing them to a fairly private booth with a good view of the TV; some baseball game was playing, though Harry didn't really care about it. Sliding into the booth beside Tony, Harry rolled his eyes when the older man's hand rested on his thigh, out of Rhodey's sight as the soldier took the bench opposite. "So where did you find this one, anyway?" Rhodey asked his friend, giving a pointed glance to Harry.

"Clubbing at Meltdown," Tony replied easily. "He was just so cute I had to keep him for a little while."

"I go back to England in a week," Harry explained. "Tony's just… making sure I get the best experience of America while I'm here." Rhodey snorted, obviously aware of what that 'best experience' was.

"I'm sure he is. And you're… how old?"

"Nineteen," Harry lied, remembering what he'd told Tony the night they met. Rhodey's eyebrows shot up, and his eyes darted to a smug-looking Tony.

"Of course you are. Damn, Tony, you have got to stop robbing the cradle," he remarked, making Tony let out an annoyed whine.

"It's eleven years, it could be worse! At least he's legal," Tony pointed out. Harry swallowed, hiding a faint smile. What Tony didn't know couldn't hurt him.

.-.

Harry actually got on fairly well with Rhodey, once the initial suspicion passed, though it was clear the man couldn't understand why Harry had stuck around longer than any of Tony's other one-night stands. If Harry was honest, he didn't understand it either, but he wasn't going to argue.

They stayed for several drinks after finishing their dinner, and Tony began getting handsy after the third or fourth one. Harry merely laughed and shifted the billionaire's wandering hands elsewhere, while Rhodey looked a cross between amused and perturbed, especially when Tony actually managed to undo the zip on Harry's jeans. "Come on, hot stuff, wait until we get back to yours," Harry teased, nudging Tony away and doing his fly back up. Tony whined low in his throat, batting feebly at Harry's hand.

"But you're hot and I'm horny," he protested, making Harry snicker.

"I think that's our cue to leave," he declared, flagging down a waiter for the bill. Tony was, luckily, sober enough to pay, even if his other hand was creeping up the front of Harry's shirt at the time.

"I… have to go to the bathroom," the genius declared, straddling Harry in order to get out of the booth and wandering over to the mens room.

"Should we, uh, make sure he's okay?" Harry asked uncertainly, and Rhodey snorted, shaking his head.

"He's fine," he assured. "He can hold more than this." Harry nodded, leaning back into the bench and re-buttoning his shirt, and Rhodey smirked slightly. "Y'know, I've never seen him like this before. I hope you know what you're doing." Harry raised a questioning eyebrow, making the older man roll his eyes. "Leaving. You really think you can go without hurting anybody?"

"I have to go," Harry replied. "I have stuff to get back to at home, and… Tony will go back to his life and forget about me when the next pretty face walks by." He attempted to sound confident, and Rhodey folded his arms over his chest.

"You really believe that, don't you?" Before Harry could answer, Tony returned, tugging him up to his feet and into a kiss.

"Let's go, bright eyes. Rhodey, you can crash in the guest room," he added to his friend, who nodded, getting up and following the pair from the restaurant. Happy was there to drive them back, and Harry managed to stop Tony getting too indecent in the car, though it was fair game once Rhodey had gone to bed and they were alone in Tony's room. The genius' mouth latched onto Harry's neck, deft fingers working at the buttons of his shirt. Harry finally gave in to temptation, tugging Tony's jeans down his thighs. He laughed breathlessly when he was shoved towards the bed, his shirt falling from his shoulders as Tony straddled him. "Been waiting for this all day," Tony breathed huskily, hands running down Harry's chest.

"Then fucking get on with it," Harry urged, rocking up into the older man, trying to get any type of friction. Tony smirked, bringing his lips down to the wizard's.

"Patience," he murmured between kisses, and Harry groaned. Patience had never been a virtue of his.


	7. Chapter 7

Rhodey didn't stay long the next day, insisting he had to get back to work, so it ended up just being Harry and Tony after breakfast. "So, the only meetings I have today are ones I really don't care about; was there anything you wanted to do that you've not done yet?" Tony asked, making Harry pause thoughtfully.

"Not really, I think I've done just about everything I wanted. Can you think of anything to do around here we've not already done yet?" he questioned. Tony smirked, swallowing a gulp of coffee.

"Other than a four-day sex marathon with yours truly?" he retorted, and Harry laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Tempting, but I'd quite like to attempt a tan before I leave," he joked, glancing down at his still-pale arms.

"The beach, then?" Tony suggested. "Or shopping, or… I have a pool?" Harry smiled at the last suggestion, finishing his own coffee.

"Pool sounds good. I don't think I should be allowed anywhere near shops; my suitcase is full enough as it is," he said with a wry smile. "But I don't have any swim shorts with me." Tony rolled his eyes, giving him a look.

"You're not gonna need swim shorts, green eyes."

And that was how Harry found himself swimming naked in a private swimming pool with Tony Stark. He didn't know whether it was a help or a hindrance that Tony was also naked; it made him feel a little less self-conscious that he wasn't the only one in the nude, but Tony's hands were making him want to say sod the tan and drag him back inside for that sex marathon. The billionaire just couldn't keep to himself, and Harry had given up trying to push him away. The only problem was, Tony wasn't following through, the bastard. Harry was ready to kill him the way he'd get him all riled up before casually swimming away, a smug smirk on his lips. "God, Tony, you're going to kill me," he groaned, glaring at the older man. Tony laughed.

"I'm just saying; we could be having sex right now, but we're not. That to me seems like some very poor time management," he replied, attempting to look innocent. Harry huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Ten more minutes, then all the sex you want, I promise," he assured, watching Tony's catlike grin widen. He'd have wanted to get out soon anyway; the sun was starting to get to him, and his fingers were getting a little pruney.

"Music to my ears, green eyes," Tony told him, swimming over smoothly to drape an arm around Harry's shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the teen's jaw, then smirked, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Bet you can't catch me." Before Harry could respond, he rocketed off towards the other end of the pool. Harry laughed, diving underwater and swimming after him, smirking. It was so on.

.-.-.

When even Tony got too tired for sex, the pair had a nap for a couple of hours before waking up in search of food. Upon finding nothing but beer and pudding cups in Tony's fridge — Harry didn't ask — they decided that ordering take-out would be the best option, and wandered down to the workshop to eat it. Tony was an expert at multitasking; catching up with Pepper about the meetings he'd skipped out on, dismantling a circuit board and stealing food from Harry's plate all at the same time without even blinking. Harry didn't mind the food-stealing, really; there was too much for him to eat anyway. He happily listened to Tony discuss business with Pepper, not really paying much attention. Almost all of Tony's business talk went right over his head, the technology being more complex than anything he'd encountered before.

Pepper stayed over in the spare bedroom that was usually reserved for her, and Harry didn't protest when Tony dragged him back to his bedroom, a lecherous expression on his face despite Pepper telling him to get some actual sleep before a long day of meetings. Harry wasn't going to complain; his time with Tony was quickly running out.

The next morning, Tony was practically dragged out of bed by a disgruntled Pepper, who paid no mind to his and Harry's nakedness. "Sorry about this, Evan, but this one has unavoidable meetings until late today," she said with an apologetic smile, thrusting a towel at Tony and glaring at him until he hurried into the bathroom.

"No, it's fine, I understand. Work is work, after all," Harry replied with a smile, privately dreading the amount of work he'd have to do with PotterCo once he got home. It had been stagnating for sixteen years since his father had died, and Harry really wanted to use its considerable funds to make a change for the better. "If you'll excuse me, I'm just gonna…" he trailed off, making a vague gesture towards the bathroom, and Pepper rolled her eyes at him and huffed.

"Go on. But be quick about it, he's late already." Turning her back on him as she went back out to the living room, Pepper left Harry free to join Tony in the shower, the billionaire smirking at the welcome intrusion.

"What have we got time for?" Harry asked with raised eyebrows, running his hands through the soap suds in Tony's hair.

"Depends," Tony drawled, sliding both hands down to grab his ass and pull him in close for a kiss. "How quick can you be?" Pulling back, Harry winked, sinking to his knees on the wet tile.

"Challenge accepted." Tony groaned lowly as the teen looked up at him with hooded eyes, lips parting. "JARVIS, time it." Smirking around Tony's cock, Harry got to work, ignoring the water pouring down on him as Tony fell to pieces in front of him.

Getting back onto his feet and licking a stray drop of come from the corner of his mouth, he grinned smugly at Tony, who was leaning back against the shower wall with an utterly wrecked expression on his face. "JARVIS, time?" he asked, reaching up to get the last of the shampoo out of Tony's hair, kissing the older man briefly.

"Two minutes and fourteen seconds, sir," the voice replied, and Tony let out a soft groan.

"Damn, bright eyes, you are something else," he declared, making Harry's grin widen.

"I learned from the master," he retorted, reaching over Tony's shoulder for the shampoo as Tony's hand made for Harry's still-hard cock, closing tightly around it until he arched into the contact.

"Bet I can beat that record," he whispered impishly. "JARVIS." Not waiting for confirmation, Tony worked his wrist frantically, Harry burying his face in the man's shoulder as he gave up any hope of shampooing his hair. It wasn't long before he too was coming, gasping out Tony's name and gripping his lover's biceps, shampoo bottle on the floor of the shower.

"One minute, thirty seven seconds," JARVIS told them. Tony whooped triumphantly, but Harry rolled his eyes, bending to reach for the bottle he dropped and grinning at the slap on the ass he got.

"Not fair, I was already on a hair trigger from blowing you," he argued, straightening up. Tony smirked, winking at him.

"You just don't want to admit defeat," he teased. "But we can rematch tomorrow, promise." Harry laughed, tipping his head back underneath the shower spray to wash out the suds.

"Y'know, most people who have a complex, multi-million-dollar AI throughout their entire house don't use it to time orgasms," he said conversationally, making Tony snort.

"Most people aren't me, gorgeous." He leaned in for a kiss, and Harry hummed against his lips.

"Go on, go get ready for work, I'll finish up here," he urged, grabbing Tony's ass playfully as the older man left the shower, grabbing a towel on his way out. Quickly washing up without the distraction of Tony, Harry dried himself off with the other towel and dressed from the clothes Pepper had left out on the bed — his own from the day before, clean and fresh. Tony really had struck gold with that woman.

Tony was already forcing down two slices of toast and an enormous mug of coffee when Harry joined him and Pepper in the kitchen, the redhead with a tablet in front of her as she briefed Tony in everything he needed to pay attention to in the upcoming meetings. "What are you gonna do today?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow towards Harry, who was pouring himself some coffee.

"Pack, probably," he replied, a frown on his face at the prospect of leaving Malibu. Tony mirrored that frown, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's a terrible plan. Pepper, find a staff member in his hotel to bribe into stealing all his clothes so he can't leave," he requested, earning an exasperated look.

"That's illegal, Tony."

"Besides, I can leave without all my clothes. I have college to get to, Tony," Harry pointed out with a chuckle, though he half-wished there was some reason to stay. As much as he wanted to see all his friends and family, and start his training at St Mungos… he didn't want to leave Tony.

"College, schmollege," Tony muttered, waving him off. "I graduated college in like, a year. It's really not that great."

"Yes, but we can't all be super-geniuses like you," Harry replied lightly, smiling. Leaning over the counter to bring the older man into a kiss, he downed the last of his coffee and rocked back on the balls of his feet. "I'll leave you to your meetings, then. See you later, Pepper. Hope he's not too much trouble," he joked, setting the mug in the sink on his way around the counter towards where his jacket was still on the couch.

"Trust me, so do I," she agreed emphatically, making him laugh as he saw himself out of the house.

The walk back to his hotel took up some of his time, and he bought a muffin on the way when his stomach grumbled in protest. He hadn't been kidding when he'd said to Tony he'd be packing all day; somehow in his two week stay, his things had managed to migrate all over the hotel room. Not wanting to risk blowing the electrics with widespread magic, he didn't dare use a summoning charm, instead taking the opportunity to kill some time without Tony by searching manually for all his things, shoving them into his magically expanded suitcase.

He hadn't realised just how much he'd bought for all his friends back home until he saw it all shrunk in his suitcase, and smiled to himself as he tried to squeeze all his clothes in around the gifts. Hopefully they would all appreciate the presents enough not to bother him too much about what he got up to on his holiday. There were some things he just didn't want Molly Weasley knowing about his life.

By late afternoon, he was all packed but for the things he'd need for the last two days of his trip, and the flight home. The hotel room looked depressingly bare without all his things lying around in it, and he flopped onto the couch with a blanket and turned the TV on, the remainder of the fries he'd had with his room service burger balanced on the arm rest for him to pick from. Getting a TV had definitely moved to the top of his list of things to do when he got home; he had always thought it was stupid, because Dudley watched so many ridiculous things on it, but given the choice of channels he'd managed to find several shows to become addicted to even in such a short time.

Absently checking his watch, wondering how Tony's meetings were going, Harry looked out of the window towards the slowly setting sun, seeing the city bathed in orange. He really was going to miss it when he was back home. Maybe he'd be able to come back one day, when he wasn't busy with life.

He went down to a small restaurant a little way down from the hotel for dinner, wanting to get his fill of the outside air; going out in a t-shirt and shorts at eight at night was still a novelty for him. It was late by the time he returned, and Tony had probably disappeared into his workshop by then, so Harry decided to call it an early night and head to bed, eyes catching on his full suitcase leaning against the side of the dresser. A long sigh escaped his lips, and he rolled over, squeezing his eyes tight shut. Maybe if he pretended it wasn't happening, he could enjoy his last two days without the reminder that the clock was ticking.

.-.-.

Arriving at Tony's after breakfast the next morning, courtesy of a car driven by Happy, Harry greeted the older man with a kiss and a smile. "What's on the cards for today, then? Any part of this good state you want to see before you head home?" the billionaire asked with raised eyebrows, and Harry shrugged. He hadn't been to LA in his visit, but… he'd had plenty of experience with 'the celebrity life' back home. The last thing he needed was to see the American version.

"Not that I can think of. What would you have done today had I not been here?"

"Sat around pining until you got here," Tony replied without missing a beat, a smirk on his face. Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"No, seriously," he urged, poking the man's shoulder.

"Work. Pep said yesterday something about needing to modify the GPS trackers for a new buyer, and I have this new jet engine I'm working on that's going to blow everyone else off the market." Harry smiled genially, shrugging one shoulder.

"Do that, then. I can hang out with Dummy, and I like watching you work. If you don't mind, that is," he added, aware that most of what Tony worked on was sensitive information.

"Nah, I don't mind. To be honest, if you can read these blueprints enough to steal my ideas, all credit to you; they are a mess. I swear, I'm pretty sure I was blackout engineering when I drew them up, and I definitely hadn't slept in about a week," the genius remarked wryly, leading the way down to the workshop after a quick detour to the kitchen for coffee. Harry snorted, amused.

"Aren't you always blackout engineering?" he teased, earning a grin.

"Not _always_. Eighty percent, tops. But hey, don't mess with what works, y'know?" Tapping in his entry code, the door to the shop slid open and Dummy immediately rolled up to them, practically shoving his camera into Harry's face, making the wizard laugh.

"Hey, Dummy. How's it going?" he greeted, obliging when the machine held up his claw for a high-five. Tony rolled his eyes in mock-disgust.

"Yes, yes, you have a new friend to play with, you lump of broken circuit-board. That doesn't mean you can slack off." Dummy let out a whine as his arm lowered in submission, and Harry wondered how it was possible for a robot with no face to look crestfallen. Only Tony Stark. "Don't look at me like that; I built you to help me, not to play catch while I work."

"But he's good at catch," Harry cut in with an innocent smile. "Well, no, he's not. But he's getting better!" Snorting, Tony shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips.

"Mutiny," he declared. "Mutiny in my own lab." Laughing, Harry kissed him, then went to make himself comfortable on the couch while Tony got to work. Dummy turned towards him and let out a wistful whine, then trailed after Tony. Toeing off his shoes and tucking his feet up underneath him, Harry smiled at the excellent view of Tony's backside he was afforded as the older man bent over the jet engine, elbow-deep in its circuitry. Within twenty minutes, he was covered in grease and motor oil, and his hair stuck up in every direction. Harry didn't analyse just what it meant about his feelings for the man that he still thought he was insanely attractive, even with black smudges all over his face and arms and looking like he'd been electrocuted.

"Are you sure you don't want to do anything outside?" Tony called, glancing up from his work. "It seems like a waste to just have you sitting in here when you leave so soon. We could go to the beach, or something?"

"Meh, the beach is great the first few times but then you remember it's just sand and water and it starts to lose its charm," Harry reasoned with a shrug. "Honestly, I think I'm too knackered to go adventuring at the moment. Sitting in and watching you work is nice." It let him imagine briefly that he and Tony did this all the time, like Harry lived there. It was pathetic, but no one had to know. "Besides, Pepper would probably kill you for slacking if you ditched work to take me around the city."

"Very true," Tony agreed, pointing towards him with a screwdriver. "Wow, you're a cheap date. Anyone else would have me taking them to sports games and shows and movie premieres every ten minutes." The slight grimace on his face showed exactly what he thought of those activities, and Harry stifled a laugh. He imagined he got a similar look on his face when Hermione reminded him of the Ministry functions he was obligated to attend. The only social outing he didn't really mind was going to Quidditch matches, but he could hardly ask Tony to go to one with him.

"All sounds like far too much effort to me," he mused, shaking his head. "But if you still feel like you need to be treating me, we could order an obscene amount of pizza and ask Happy to pick up some pie from somewhere. I've heard America does pie differently to us Brits." Tony grinned widely, running a hand through his hair, which now seemed to have more motor oil in it than the engine itself.

"You mean you haven't had pie yet? Okay, yeah, we're doing that. JARVIS, ask Happy to pick up three large pizzas — tell him to surprise me, he knows what I like — and then go to that pie place off the pier and get one chocolate cream and one cherry pie." JARVIS gave a quiet affirmation, and Harry raised an eyebrow at the grease-covered man.

"Three pizzas and two pies? I know I said an obscene amount, but how the hell are we going to eat all that?" Tony laughed, throwing him a wink.

"Oh, we will. And whatever we don't eat, can be breakfast tomorrow. Or Pepper can have it; I'm not fussy, and she loves cherry pie. Now," he set down his screwdriver, getting to his feet. "Because I've had many, many lectures about food contamination and what is acceptable to stick in my mouth, I should probably go shower before food gets here. And I believe I promised you a rematch," he added with a smirk. It took a couple of moments before Harry remembered what he was talking about, before he matched the man's smirk, rising from the couch and stooping to pick up his shoes.

"Oh, you're on."

.-.-.

Harry was very much proud to be British, but he could concede one point; America did pie _far_ better. His eyes had almost fallen out of his head when Happy had arrived with two large boxes on top of the three pizza boxes, and Tony urged the man into the kitchen with them, taking the top box and flipping the lid. Inside was the biggest mound of chocolate cream Harry had ever seen in his life; Tony assured him that somewhere, beneath all that, was a pie crust. The cherry pie had a top, but was still twice as deep as any pie he'd ever seen, and full of rich, sweet-sour cherry filling. It took a lot of willpower to put them both aside and go for the pizza, but they both managed to do so, Happy declining their offer to join them and leaving the house. Tony grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, allowing Harry to take the pizzas through to the living room, and they set themselves up on the couch for the evening with crappy sci-fi movies that Tony had been shocked to hear Harry had never seen.

"I cannot believe you've never seen any Star Trek whatsoever," the genius declared, shaking his head in shock, cheeks bulging with pizza. "Seriously, when you get home, buy the boxset. Original Series first, then Next Generation, then see where things take you from there. God, if we had the time, I'd start a marathon, but we'd need like an entire month to get through everything."

"I'll make a note to buy them when I get home," Harry promised laughingly. Hopefully Remus wouldn't mind too much about all the muggle things Harry was planning on buying. He doubted he would; the werewolf had lived muggle for most of Harry's life, before Dumbledore had offered him the DADA job. Apparently it was safer, as muggles didn't believe in werewolves.

"Good. And hell, there's a whole list of things you should definitely watch after Star Trek, I'll have JARVIS print it out for you later. You're young yet, there's still plenty of time to make a nerd of you," Tony insisted, grinning. Harry rolled his eyes, reaching for another slice of pizza.

"If you say so, Tony." Leaning against the older man's arm, he turned back to the movie, only to hear the telltale sound of high-heels on hardwood floor. "Pepper's here." As soon as he spoke, the redhead came into view on the stairs, a long-suffering look on her face as she surveyed the pair of them.

"Honestly, Tony. Just because you're sleeping with a teenager does not mean you _are_ one," she remarked, and Tony turned puppy eyes on her.

"But Pepper, Evan's never seen Galaxy Quest! Also, there's cherry pie on the counter from that place you like," he added enticingly, making Harry snicker quietly as the woman's annoyance visibly faded at the bribe.

"Well, at least you're doing it properly. Mind if I join you? It's been a hell of a day at your company that I am not qualified to be running for you," she sniped at Tony, heading to cut herself a slice of the pie.

"Please, be our guest," Tony agreed, and Harry shifted closer to him to make room for Pepper on his other side. "And you know I love you for dealing with all of the boring parts of my company." The redhead returned, pie and fork in hand, and kicked off her heels before sitting down with them, curling her legs underneath her.

"So long as you continue to express that love in the form of money, shoes and spa breaks, I have no objections," she replied, making Harry smirk.

When the pizza was mostly finished, Tony got up to put the leftovers in the fridge and bring the two pies over, cutting Harry an enormous slice of chocolate cream pie with a grin on his face. Taking the fork from the man, Harry eyed the pie critically, wondering how the hell he'd be able to cut it with his fork until he could actually eat it. Eventually, he decided to just dive right in, and he couldn't help but moan aloud as it touched his tongue. Tony's eyes darkened at the sound, but Harry didn't notice, too busy enjoying the pie. "Merlin, this is amazing. It's probably a good thing we don't have it in England; we'd all be as big as houses," he remarked, and Tony's grin widened.

"See, I told you! America wins at food," he declared triumphantly. "Also you have cream on your nose." Harry flushed, wiping at his nose, and the three of them carried on watching sci-fi movies, steadily making their way through both pies. Even between them, they couldn't finish both, so the leftovers of the chocolate cream pie went in the fridge with the pizza, and Pepper commandeered the remaining cherry pie before heading back home. It wasn't long after she left that the two men stopped trying to pretend they were watching the movie, Harry lying on top of Tony on the couch, their legs twined.

"We should take this to the bedroom," he murmured, trailing soft kisses down Tony's stubbled neck. "More comfortable."

"Mm, but movement," Tony protested, undoing Harry's fly and shoving his jeans down his hips.

"Come on, Tony. Bed," Harry urged, sitting up until he was straddling the older man. Tony leaned up to try and follow his lips, letting out a low whine, and Harry snorted as he got to his feet. Tony's hand slipped into his, the genius leading the way to the bedroom, and Harry followed eagerly, stepping out of his jeans on the way and pulling Tony's t-shirt over his head. They only had a few more opportunities; he had to make every one count.

.-.-.

The light streaming through the window was, for once, unwelcome in Tony Stark's bedroom. Harry buried his head under the duvet and curled closer to Tony, letting out an annoyed whine at the brightness that demanded they start the day. Tony shifted to tuck an arm around him, hiding from the sun in Harry's chest. "Would it be completely unreasonable for me to spend my last full day in Malibu in bed with you?" the Brit mumbled, making Tony snort softly.

"Absolutely not. I am definitely in favour of this plan. JARVIS, blackout curtains," Tony added, just loud enough for the AI to hear. After a moment, the room began to darken, and Harry let out a sigh of pleasure, smiling against Tony's neck. Pushing the duvet off their heads, he cracked open an eye and met Tony's gaze, leaning in for a lazy kiss. Both of them had morning wood already, and it only took a small shift of Harry's hips for them to be rutting against each other, Tony rolling them until he was above the teenager, supporting himself on his forearms and grinding down into him. "God, fuck, Evan," he hissed as the teen's lips closed around his nipple, sending hot bursts of pleasure through him. Harry smirked, using everything Tony had taught him in their two weeks together to tease the man into eventually crashing over the edge, following him soon after to leave them both a boneless puddle in the middle of the mattress.

"I am totally jealous of all the hot guys in England who are going to get to experience all the awesome things I taught you how to do. I clearly didn't think this through," Tony muttered, and Harry snickered.

"I don't think you've got too much to worry about," he assured. "The fact that I needed teaching when you met me proves that the guys back home weren't exactly clamouring to date me." That wasn't technically true, but he could hardly tell Tony that he hadn't dated before because he couldn't trust them to not sell him out to the Prophet. He was quite sure that they only wanted him because he was Harry Potter, anyway; they probably wouldn't have looked twice otherwise.

"Pfft, their loss, then," Tony retorted, kissing his neck. They lay together for a while, but soon the stickiness between them grew uncomfortable, and Tony's hands started to twitch in a way that Harry knew meant he wanted to be working.

"Maybe the whole 'stay in bed all day' plan isn't a great idea after all. Shower?" he suggested, stretching languidly. Tony hummed in agreement, reluctantly shuffling over to the edge of the bed, and the two of them walked naked through to the shower, Harry drinking in his fill of the sight of Tony's body. God, he was going to miss that. "I do appreciate that, y'know," he added when they were under the water. "You teaching me everything. I never would have been comfortable walking around naked before you." Tony's smile was surprisingly earnest as he reached up to flick soap off Harry's nose.

"Hey, you have a body worth walking around naked in, I'm just doing myself a favour by convincing you to show it off more," he reasoned lightly, making Harry smile in reply. "Are you gonna get sappy on me? Because ask Pepper, I am no good at handling sappy." Harry laughed, rolling his eyes and winding an arm around Tony's waist.

"No, I'm not getting sappy," he promised wryly. "Just letting you know your time and effort is much appreciated." Tony winked at him, reaching for the shower gel to lather Harry up with, stealing kisses whenever he could. It was surprisingly domestic, and it made Harry's heart ache at the prospect of leaving it all behind. Every minute he spent with Tony was a minute more in which he found it difficult to remind himself why he had to go home.

After eating a nutritious breakfast of leftover pizza and pie, Harry was surprised when Tony dragged him up off the couch, urging him towards the door. "Tony, where are we going?" he asked with raised eyebrows, following the older man towards the stair.

"It would be a slight to my beautiful city if I let you stay inside all day," Tony declared. "So we're going to the beach. Maybe then you'll actually be able to remember what sun looks like when you go home." Harry snickered, a crooked smile on his face, and the pair of them met Happy in the driveway. Harry wondered how long Tony had been planning this, for the chauffeur to be there already. Greeting them with a short nod, Happy pulled out towards the main gates and onto the road, turning in the direction of the beach. "I thought we could take one of the bikes out later, too. It's a nice day for it," Tony suggested.

"Sounds great," Harry enthused; if Tony wanted to treat him on his last day, he definitely wasn't going to argue.

.-.-.

Paparazzi, regardless of nationality, were all the same. Harry could see at least five photographers clearly thinking they were being stealthy, following Harry and Tony as they wandered down the beachfront, hands clasped. "Can you go anywhere without being stalked? I don't think we've avoided cameras in the entire two weeks," he asked the American sympathetically, and Tony snorted.

"You noticed them too, huh?" he remarked wryly. "No, this is pretty much the norm. Especially if I happen to be in the company of someone young and pretty."

"So most of the time, then," Harry teased, making Tony draw back with a hand on his heart as if wounded.

"I resent that! I can't help it that the young and pretty find me to be stimulating company."

"Well, you're certainly stimulating _something_ ," the teen drawled in reply, bumping Tony's shoulder with his own. Tony smirked, eyes glinting with lust.

"Happy to be of service." He tugged Harry closer by the hand, slinging an arm around his waist instead. "How about we get some lunch? I don't know about you, but I want to keep my energy up for tonight." Ignoring the sharp pang at the reminder of his last night in Malibu, Harry smiled back, nodding in agreement.

"Lunch sounds good. Especially if it'll be somewhere we don't have cameras pointing at us from every direction." Tony nodded emphatically in agreement, and together they turned away from the water's edge and up towards the arcade, smirking to each other when a group of teenage girls burst into giggles when they walked past. No doubt all of them imagined themselves in Harry's place, and the Brit couldn't help but feel smug about it.

They found a small cafe that had a table for two near the back, far enough away from the entrance that any paparazzi would have to come in to get pictures. After a small amount of bribery from Tony, the waitress agreed to keep an eye out for journalists and politely escort them from the cafe should they cause a fuss.

They kept the conversation tame over their lunch, well aware of the many prying ears focused on them, but Harry didn't see any cameras out while they were there, which was impressive. They tipped well when they left, Tony leaving the waitress swooning as he winked at her on his way out, and Harry snickered at the woman's reaction. "Y'know, I didn't think it was such a big deal when we first met, but now I feel like I should be congratulated for actually being able to string a sentence together in front of you. It seems to be a rare talent," he remarked when they were back on the beach, making Tony laugh.

"People just can't handle my astonishing good looks, bright eyes. It's a curse and a blessing." Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"If you say so." Happy met them by the pier, driving them back to the house to pick up one of the motorbikes, and Harry slid onto the seat behind Tony, wrapping his arms securely around the older man's waist and pressing tight against his back. "Where are we headed?"

"Anywhere there's open road," Tony replied with a grin, pulling down the visor of his helmet and kicking up the stand, letting the engine roar as they pulled away. Harry grinned behind his own visor, holding tight and leaning as Tony did around the turn, excitement buzzing through him at the feel of the powerful machinery between his thighs. Sirius had definitely been onto something when he'd been a teenager; motorbikes were undeniably sexy.

They drove wherever Tony fancied taking them, taking advantage of the long stretches of road further out of the city, Tony completely ignoring speed limits as he pleased. Harry's ridiculous grin didn't falter for the entire journey, the feeling so similar to that of flying that he couldn't help but feel giddy. They turned back towards the city when the sun began to get low in the sky, and Harry was surprised when, instead of heading back to Tony's like he'd expected, they pulled up outside the Thai restaurant they had gone to on their first date, Tony ignoring the 'no parking' sign and kicking down the stand, pulling his helmet off. "What are we doing here?" Harry asked, unclipping his own helmet and tucking it under his arm.

"Dinner," Tony replied brightly, grinning. Harry glanced at the restaurant, then back at Tony, who was twisted on the bike to face him, looking pleased with himself. Smiling, Harry leaned in for a kiss, amused.

"And you said you didn't do sappy," he teased, making the man bark out a laugh.

"I can be persuaded, occasionally," he drawled, swinging a leg over the bike. "Come on, we have reservations." Slipping off the bike, Harry followed Tony up to the doors, smiling at the waiter who greeted them.

"Good evening, sirs. Reservation for Stark, I presume?" he asked with a glance towards Tony, who nodded with his signature charming smile on his face as another waiter took their helmets to stow away. Gesturing for them to follow him, the blonde waiter led the way to a quiet table in the corner of the restaurant, the dim lighting making it hard for anyone to even think about taking photos. Letting Tony order drinks for them, Harry smirked to himself as a foot nudged at his ankle, giving Tony a pointed look. The billionaire merely winked back at him, not admitting to anything. Their waiter returned quickly with their drinks — probably well aware that, should he serve them well, he'd be getting tipped incredibly well that night — and waited patiently for them to order. Once again, Harry bowed to Tony's expertise, trusting the older man to order something he'd enjoy.

"So, Malibu; marks out of ten?" Tony asked, making Harry laugh.

"Malibu, or Malibu with you?" he replied teasingly. "Either way, ten out of ten. This city is gorgeous, the whole state is from what I've seen. And the company hasn't been too bad either."

"That's what we like to hear. Good enough for you to come back sometime?" There was a surprisingly hopeful expression on his face when he spoke, and it made Harry's heart break a little bit.

"Tony… if I came back I don't think you could get me to leave," he replied honestly. Tony laughed quietly, leaning back in his chair.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" he reasoned with raised eyebrows. Harry bit his lip, wishing he could take the hand that was so obviously being offered to him. But… he couldn't. He had responsibilities back home; just because Voldemort was gone, didn't mean his life was his own to live. If the Ministry had their way, it never would be.

"I wish I could. I really, really do, but…"

"But college, and life," Tony finished for him knowingly. Harry reached across the table for the man's hand, an earnest expression on his face.

"Trust me, I've asked myself a million times if college is really necessary," he said wryly, drawing a soft laugh from the American. "I've loved every moment of being with you, Tony. But we both knew it was going to end sooner rather than later." He didn't dare admit to the man just how deep his feelings for him ran. If there was one thing the newspapers could all agree on about Tony Stark, it was that his attention span was intense, but short; he'd be absolutely obsessed with something or someone, then never look twice after a few weeks. Harry didn't doubt he'd be much the same. Tony was probably just feeling like this because it wasn't his choice to end things, but inevitability. And Harry, well… he'd get over it.

"Yeah. Still sucks though, right?" Tony mused, giving a hollow chuckle. Harry hummed in agreement, but the arrival of their food halted the conversation, and while they ate neither of them seemed willing to pick it back up. Carefully avoiding the topic, Harry led the conversation into safer waters; namely, Tony's workshop projects. Though the older man seemed to know exactly what Harry was doing, he took the prompt and ran with it, happily explaining about a new graphics system he was working on in his free time — nothing Stark Industries related just yet, as they didn't seem to be interested in anything that didn't kill people. But he was hoping it would make designing things a lot easier, apparently. Harry let him talk, listening with interest as he ate, sipping at the brightly-coloured cocktail that was steadily making his head fuzzy. They ordered dessert to share, privately smirking at all the other people in the restaurant craning their necks to get a proper look at them in the dim lighting. More than once, Harry had noticed a camera flash, but the wait staff seemed pretty on the ball in that respect, quietly escorting the offenders from the restaurant.

The bike was still there when they got outside, though there were several people lined up to take photos with it, doing victory signs in front of the 'STARK4' license plate. "Excuse me," Tony called, immediately grabbing the attention of the crowd. "Sorry to disappoint, but this is our ride home, so the photoshoot is going to have to end here." Harry snorted, rolling his eyes and jamming the helmet on his head. Several disappointed people moved away from the bike, and a couple looked like they were tempted to ask for autographs. Tony ignored them all, putting on his helmet and straddling the bike, smiling at Harry with the visor still on. "Come on, bright eyes, time's wasting." Harry chuckled, slinging a leg over to make himself comfortable behind the older man, and soon they were off into the Malibu traffic, skirting around slow-moving cars and around tight corners. They arrived back at Tony's in half the time it would have taken anyone else, and both men were shirtless and panting before they could even leave the garage.

"Come on, Tony, have some patience," Harry teased, batting at the man's wandering hands as they got in the elevator up to the main house. "I think my last night deserves a bed."

"But what about all those rooms we haven't christened yet?" Tony argued playfully, making Harry laugh.

"That would take more than one night." Hell, christening every room in Tony's house would probably take months.

"Point taken. Bed it is," the older man murmured, hoisting Harry up so the teen could hook his legs around Tony's hips, letting himself be carried through to the bedroom. Tony practically threw him onto the bed, dropping his jeans before crawling on top of him, trailing kisses up his bare chest. Harry easily became boneless under the older man's expert ministrations, unable to do anything but lie there and try and stay conscious as Tony eased into him, muttering feverishly under his breath for the genius to give him more, to go faster.

His vision blacked out as pleasure overtook him, hands gripping at Tony's tanned shoulders as he arched up into the man, feeling his partner come inside him, stimulating his already over-sensitised nerves. "Fuck," he gasped, breathing hard as Tony collapsed on top of him. "God, you're amazing."

"Not so bad yourself," Tony replied with a smirk, kissing Harry's throat as he pulled out, both of them grimacing slightly at the feeling. "Want me to clean us up?"

"Why bother when we'll just get dirty again?" Harry retorted flirtatiously. "Don't think that's the only time I'm having you tonight." Tony snorted, pulling him into a kiss.

"Oh, you're on."

As promised, they managed a couple more rounds before finally calling it a night, Tony wiping them both down and tossing the pillow with the wet spot onto the floor to be cleaned up in the morning. Settling down, he pulled Harry close, their legs twining as Harry clung to Tony's chest, eyes fluttering shut. Neither of them said anything more, even when their embrace grew far tighter than it usually was. If they imagined hard enough, they could just about pretend it wasn't their last night together.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry woke with a frown on his face early that morning, which deepened when he realised he was alone in the bed. "JARVIS, where's Tony?" he queried, voice husky with sleep as he sat up.

"Tony's in a meeting." The voice that answered wasn't JARVIS, but Pepper, and Harry glanced over to see her walking into the room with his clothes. "An unavoidable one, I'm sorry." He felt a pang of disappointment in his chest, but pushed it away.

"Oh." Pepper left his clothes on the end of the bed, offering him a sympathetic smile.

"I'll leave you to get showered and dressed, and then Happy is waiting to take you over to your hotel," she told him, leaving the bedroom. Harry glanced at the clock, seeing it was barely even six — it must have been a very important meeting to get Tony out of bed that early — and he had plenty of time before his flight left. He showered and dressed quickly, finding Pepper waiting in the living room.

"I guess this is goodbye, then," he remarked, swallowing the lump in his throat. Pepper sighed quietly, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Fly safe," she murmured. "And believe it or not, I'll actually miss you. Tony's been happier with you around." Harry smiled at the admittance, kissing her cheek.

"I'll miss you, too, Pepper. Look after him for me, won't you?" She gave him a wry half-smile, pulling back.

"It's my job," she reasoned, but he levelled a look at her; that wasn't what he meant. "I will," she promised, smile softening. "And don't hesitate to drop by if you're ever back in the area."

"Trust me, I won't." If he were ever back in Malibu, Harry doubted it would be possible to get him to _leave_. However, he reluctantly stepped back, heading for the front door, and waved to Pepper before getting in the car. Happy greeted him with a nod, smiling knowingly when Harry sighed.

"That's the problem with vacations," the driver mused. "Always people to say goodbye to at the end of it."

"Tell me about it," Harry murmured in agreement. "Thanks for everything, Happy," he added when they pulled up outside the hotel.

"No problem, kid. Safe flight." Harry shook the man's hand, getting out of the car, and wandered up to his hotel room with slumped shoulders. He only had a few more things to pack — toiletries, a few articles of clothing, and anything else he'd forgotten — and was done with several hours to spare. Leaving his bags in the hotel room, he went back downstairs to the hotel restaurant, plating up a generous breakfast of croissants and fruit salad. He wasn't sure how good the plane food would be.

Eating somewhat mechanically, mind elsewhere, Harry raised an eyebrow when a familiar face sat at his table, tilting back in his chair. "What time's your flight out?" Tony asked casually. Harry smirked, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. Tony hadn't let him leave without saying goodbye.

"Hello to you, too. It takes off at two, but I need to be at the airport at about eleven," he replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I'll have Happy drive us," Tony told him, stealing a slice of apple from his plate. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Will you, now? This, of course, is an offer completely based on your chivalry and generosity, and not the fact that you want a quickie in the car," he said, and Tony nodded seriously, though amusement danced in his eyes. "I suppose I'd better go get my bags, then. With the traffic, who knows how long it'll take us?" he added innocently, ignoring the fact that any and all traffic parted for Tony Stark, and the airport was less than ten minutes away. Tony grinned at him, snagging the last grape and popping it in his mouth.

"I like the way you think." Despite the fact that Harry hadn't said anything, Tony took it upon himself to follow Harry up to his room. He didn't need to check out for another hour.

.-.

After a quick round at the hotel, followed by a blowjob in the car with the partition raised and a heavy make-out session in the airport parking lot, Harry eventually had to face the fact that he needed to leave. Tony seemed to realise as well, as his smile faltered. He pulled out a box from under the seat and passed it to Harry, who looked at him, shocked. "Open it," he urged with a smile. Harry did so, unwrapping the box, opening the lid and letting out a gasp. Tony had given him a sleek, stylish touch-screen cell phone, the technology way ahead of any other phone company, a small 'Stark Industries' insignia on the back.

"Wow, Tony," he murmured, going over the phone with his fingers. Pressing the button, the screen flared to life. Harry went into the contacts list, finding three numbers there; 'Stark Industries', 'Pepper' and 'Tony ;)'.

"That's my work number, Pepper's cell, and my personal cell. Stay in touch, okay?" Tony asked. Harry nodded.

"Will do. Thank you, Tony. This is brilliant, you really didn't have to," he insisted. He was sure that once he left, and Tony found a new plaything to keep his attention, the man would forget about him. Surprisingly, the thought hurt a lot more than he'd expected it to.

"I wanted to. And listen; any time you're in the country, let me know," Tony added. Harry smiled at him.

"I will. You too, if you're ever in Britain." The two were silent for a moment, before Harry reluctantly looked at his watch. "I'd better go."

"Yeah," Tony agreed quietly. Neither of them moved.

"Tony? I just wanted to say… thank you. You've been so good to me these past couple of weeks, made this holiday so amazingly perfect… I'm going to miss you," Harry admitted. Tony laced their fingers together, nodding.

"I'm going to miss you too, Evan. Y'know, when I picked you up at the club, I never thought you'd hang around for more than that night. Then the sex was amazing, so I thought I'd try and keep you around for another day or two. You got to me. You're… something special. You're not like all those superficial people who just want to say they slept with Tony Stark. You're different," he said softly. Harry couldn't help but snort.

"You don't know the half of it," he muttered. "We'll meet again, Tony. I'm sure of it," he lied. He hoped it was true, but he doubted it. And even if they did, he doubted Tony would just hop back into bed with him. Not for more than one night, at least.

"Yeah, me too." They kissed, their hands roaming, tongues mapping each other's mouths, trying to retain every little last detail. Eventually, they had to part for air, and Harry reached for the door handle.

"See you around, Tony," he said quietly, kissing the other man chastely. Tony managed a half smile, releasing Harry's hand.

"Yeah, see you around." Stepping out of the car with one last look back, Harry waved to Happy through the window, then reached for his rucksack and opened the boot of the car, tugging his suitcase out. The giant penguin had been sent ahead already — though despite Tony's offer, Harry had paid — and would hopefully turn up a few days after he got back. Hitching his bag further up his shoulder and grabbing his suitcase by the handle, Harry turned away, walking towards the airport doors, wondering if he'd just made the biggest mistake of his life.

.-.-.-.

Remus was waiting for him at the airport when he arrived, and Harry happily sank into his arms, accepting the rib-crushing hug. "Merlin, I missed you," he breathed, hearing the werewolf chuckle.

"Missed you, too, cub. Come on, let's get you back home, you can tell me everything. You look great, by the way! The sun obviously did you some good." Harry reluctantly let go, though stayed tucked into Remus' side as his godfather took his case from him.

"Where do I even start?" His mind supplied him with a starting point, and his chest clenched painfully as his eyes began to sting again. He'd spent the first half of his flight trying not to cry, and he didn't want to set himself off again. Remus eyed him carefully, a knowing look on his face.

"What happened, love?" he asked, and Harry choked out a humourless laugh; was he that obvious?

"It'll take some explaining, Moons," he replied. "But oh, God, I miss him." That sentence seemed to be explanation enough, for Remus hugged him once more, kissing his temple.

"Home, first," he reminded, knowing Harry wouldn't be able to relax until he was in private, even if they were in a muggle area. "Then I'll put the kettle on and you can tell me all about him." Harry smiled at that, letting Remus lead him to the small room with the fireplace. The werewolf's arms wrapped tightly around him, and Harry held on, bracing himself for apparition.

Despite being used to the sensation, he fell to his knees when they arrived in the living room, Remus' arm slung across his back. With some help, he ended up on the sofa with his shoes off, and a quick wave of Remus' wand had the tea set on the coffee table springing to life. The sandy-haired man sat beside him, allowing the teen to curl up on his lap. "Who was he?" he queried, voice a low murmur in Harry's ear. Harry took a steadying breath, hearing his godfather's heartbeat under his ear.

"His name is Tony Stark," he started, hating the quiver in his voice. "And he was… amazing." And after another deep breath, Harry told him everything.

.-.-.

Tony's arms were folded over his chest during the drive home, chin tucked against his hand, knees bent. It was a defensive position and he knew it, but damn it, he was allowed to sulk! Happy tried to cheer him up by breaking the speed limit down the freeway, but it didn't work, and he dragged his feet when he got back to his house. "JARVIS, keep tabs on Evan's flight, would you? Anything unusual happens, I want to know about it." It would be just his luck, and he wasn't taking any chances.

"Yes, sir." Tony frowned at the polite British accent of his AI, which currently reminded him not of the man he'd grown up with, the man the AI was based on, but instead of a much more recent Brit in his life. Shaking his head, he glanced at his watch.

"Where's Pepper?"

"At a board meeting, sir, on your behalf." Of course. He really should give that woman a raise; she probably went to more business meetings than he did. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging on his fringe. Why did Evan leaving hurt so much? He'd never felt that discomfort over anyone else leaving before, even the few he did see for more than one night. Growling in frustration, he stood, turning to the elevator.

"I'll be in the shop; don't let anyone disturb me, unless it's Pepper." He could never lock Pepper out, even in his most violent of moods.

"Yes, sir."

He wasn't sure how long he spent in his workshop, elbow-deep in the circuitry of a missile prototype, before his music cut off abruptly. Looking up, he saw Pepper in the doorway, a sympathetic expression on her face. "Wanna talk?" she asked quietly, heels clicking on the floor as she moved closer. He shrugged, wiping his oil-covered hands on a rag offered by Dummy.

"Not really," he murmured, leaning back in his chair. Pepper stood at his side, squeezing his shoulder. "Would it be bad for me to take the jet to England and kidnap him?" Pepper giggled softly, running a hand through his hair.

"Just a little," she agreed dryly. "Besides, Tony, you don't know where he lives. Hell, you don't even know his real name." He sighed, leaning into the touch like a puppy starved for affection. He had searched, _God_ had he searched, but whoever had given Evan his fake ID had done an incredible job, and without a real name he had nothing. And as much as he wanted to, tracing the GPS in the phone he'd given Evan was one breach of privacy too far. "He has the phone though, right? You can still call him."

"It's not the same," he protested petulantly. "Why is this one so different, Peps? How did he get me to… to care?" Because he couldn't deny it; he cared about Evan. Alarmingly so, considering he'd known the kid two weeks, and there was an eleven year age gap. It was probably for the best that Evan left, after all; Tony was getting dangerously close to feeling something similar to love, and he knew from experience that love never ended well for him. Had Evan stayed, he probably would have fucked it up sooner or later anyway. At least now they were both left with fond memories. Pepper continued stroking his hair, not minding when he leant his head against her hip. She definitely deserved a raise.

"I don't know, Tony. I guess you'll just have to hope you see him again." Were Tony the superstitious type, he would have crossed his fingers or wished on a shooting star or something. Instead he just accepted the comfort offered to him, hoping desperately that it wouldn't be the last he saw of Evan Black.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry had been home for a month, and he'd hated almost every second of it. By now, most of the family had heard of his 'summer fling', as Molly liked to call it. He'd given up trying to argue that Tony was more than a fling; what could he say, when the man's reputation was so firmly against it being anything but? The only one who really understood the gravity of sleeping with Tony Stark was, of course, Hermione. She'd cornered him practically the moment she'd heard the news — from Ginny, he thought, who'd heard her parents talking about it, who had been told in confidence by Remus — asking at first what the hell he thought he was doing getting involved with such a prominent muggle figure, and later whether Tony was truly as good in bed as the tabloids painted him out to be. Harry could only insist that he was better.

Except for the occasional visit to the Burrow, Harry had done well to avoid people. If he needed anything from Diagon Alley, he got Remus or Dobby to get it for him. When he had a meeting with the goblins about his inheritance now he was seventeen, he portkeyed directly into the bank. He wasn't in the mood to deal with excited fans trying to get a piece of him every time he stepped outside. He was perfectly happy to stay at Grimmauld and read books and watch TV and, occasionally, call Tony. The billionaire was busy, as always, but he usually made time to talk to Harry. Still, those conversations always left him with an ache in his chest, so he tried not to do it often, as much as he'd like to.

Wandering down for breakfast, Harry groaned, feeling his stomach churn as soon as the scent of eggs hit his nose. Were they off? "Moony, are the eggs in date?" he asked, rubbing at his sleep-crusted eyes. Remus frowned, looking down at his poached egg.

"They're fine, why?" Harry stuffed two slices of bread in the toaster, covering his nose with his sleeve.

"They smell awful, it's making me nauseous." Remus frowned, banishing all the eggs on the table, including his own half-eaten one.

"Are you feeling alright, cub?" Standing, the greying man pressed the back of his hand to Harry's forehead. "You've not got a temperature. Coughing, headaches, stuffed nose?" Harry shook his head, gulping down tea from the mug on the counter.

"No, just my stomach. Maybe I ate something dodgy," he mused, grimacing at the still-lingering smell of eggs. "Don't worry, Rem, it'll pass, I'm sure."

The next morning, he was vomiting into the toilet before he could even make it downstairs, glad that he'd had his eyes fixed during the war; trying to stumble to his bathroom half-blind and about to be sick would not have ended well. Coughing and spluttering, he flinched when he felt a hand on his forehead, pushing back his fringe. "I thought you said it would pass?" Remus asked dryly, making Harry groan feebly.

"It's probably just a two-day bug, or something." He couldn't think of any opportunities he'd had to catch anything, but it was the only explanation he could come up with. Remus kissed his head, offering him a glass of water.

"I'll put the kettle on," he declared soothingly. "You get back in bed." Harry didn't protest, knowing there was no point; at least he had a TV in his bedroom.

"Yes, Mum," he muttered, making Remus snort.

"Trust me, cub; if I were Lily, you'd be at St Mungo's before you could say 'pepper-up'," he replied, amused. Harry merely rolled his eyes, accepting the support back to his bed. "Stay there, I'll bring you up tea and a potion to settle your stomach." Harry obeyed, reaching for the remote, wondering if there were any good films on. If he was going to spend the day in bed, he may as well make the most of it.

.-.

He was startled from his doze by chirpy music, and it took him several seconds to realise it was his phone. Reaching out to grab the device, he smiled upon seeing Tony's name. "Hi, Tony," he greeted warmly, settling back against his cushions and putting the TV on mute.

"Hey, gorgeous. You busy?" Tony sounded half-distracted, letting Harry know he was probably in his workshop.

"Not at all; I'm confined to bedrest at the moment, so any distraction is welcome."

"Are you okay? Have you seen a doctor? Because I know a guy, he's great, really." Harry laughed, cutting the man off.

"I'm fine, Tony," he insisted. "It's just a stomach bug. Not the most fun in the world, but I'll be fine, I promise. Thanks for the concern, though," he added, smiling to himself. "What's going on with you? Building anything interesting?"

"Fixing the Super Duke," Tony replied, and Harry muffled snickers when a loud clang was followed by a quiet curse. "And, of course, modifying it."

"Of course," Harry agreed; Tony didn't own anything electronic that he hadn't modified. "How are you modifying it? Go on, distract me from my illness," he challenged, practically hearing Tony's smirk in reply.

"There are plenty of other ways I could do that, green eyes," the American drawled, voice going husky. Harry groaned, chuckling.

"As much as I'd love to, I don't think I have the energy. So tell me about the Super Duke." Tony didn't need prompting again, descending into the kind of technobabble that Harry loved to listen to, but didn't always understand. Harry leant back against his mountain of cushions, merely relishing in the sound of Tony's voice.

.-.-.

Harry groaned, resting his head against the toilet seat, performing a wandless scourgify on his mouth. "Fuck," he grumbled, closing his eyes in the hopes the world would stop spinning.

"Cub? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Remus' voice called from the bedroom. Harry let out another groan, indicating where he was, and the werewolf burst in, a frown marring his face. "Oh, cub," he murmured, crouching down to press a hand to Harry's forehead. Running a hand through Harry's hair soothingly, he held the young man as he vomited into the toilet. After about ten minutes, Harry shook his head, indicating he was finished. Remus stood, filling a cup with water from the sink and handing it to Harry, who swirled it around his mouth before spitting. Flushing the toilet, Remus helped Harry stagger to his feet. "That's it, I'm calling Poppy. It's been a week, and you're obviously not well," he said firmly, helping his godson back into bed. For once, Harry didn't argue; he felt like he'd been trampled by a herd of hippogriffs.

Remus conjured a cold flannel, placing it on Harry's forehead. "I'll be right back, cub. I'm just going to fire-call Poppy." The teen was left alone, lying on his back in bed with his eyes closed, his head pounding and his throat dry. He groaned again, sounding pitiful even to his own ears, and brought the duvet up higher over himself. When Remus returned, it was with Poppy Pomfrey in tow, a concerned look on her face.

"Oh, Harry, dear, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" she tutted, moving straight over to his bedside. He stayed still as she ran her wand over him, a piece of parchment appearing in the air as words scrawled on it with a quill. She hummed and ahhed at the results, before her eyes went wide. Stopping the spell, she murmured another one under her breath, waving her wand at his stomach. It glowed softly, and she gasped.

"What? What's wrong with him?" Remus asked worriedly, standing on the other side of the bed. Poppy frowned, glancing back at Harry's glowing stomach.

"I'd like to have a word with Harry privately, if that's alright, Remus?" she began. Harry shook his head, reaching out to clasp Remus' hand.

"S'alright. Rem can stay," he insisted. Poppy nodded, pursing her lips.

"Well then. Harry, please answer truthfully…have you been sexually active in the last few months?" she asked. Harry spluttered, his eyes wide.

"What? Why? Have I caught something?" he asked in alarm. Tony had assured him he was clean!

"Please, Harry, answer the question," Poppy prompted. A slight blush on his cheeks, Harry nodded.

"Yes, but… not since I got back from Malibu. Why?" he repeated.

"I'm pleased to tell you that you're perfectly healthy, as is your baby. You're pregnant, Harry, approximately six weeks along. Congratulations," she said with a smile. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Pregnant?" he repeated weakly. "But… I can't be! Do the scan again!" he insisted. Poppy sighed, but waved her wand again, only for his stomach to glow the same as it has last time.

"Evidently, you are. The test doesn't lie, Harry," she began gently, only for him to cut her off.

"No, you don't understand! The only person I've ever had sex with is a muggle, you have to have magic in you to get another man pregnant!" he protested. Poppy frowned; he was right there.

"Are you sure he was a muggle? Maybe a wizard living in the muggle world, or a squib?" she questioned, but he shook his head.

"Anyone connected to the wizard world knows my face; Tony had no idea who I was. And I couldn't sense any magic from him, he's definitely a muggle," he declared firmly.

"I have a theory," Remus piped up, making Harry jump. He'd almost forgotten the man was there. "Harry, there's no denying that you're a very powerful wizard; maybe you lost control a little, in the heat of the moment," here he blushed faintly, "and your magic reacted with your emotions, giving you and Tony enough magic to compensate for both of you, enough to turn your sperm into an egg." Harry gaped, looking to Poppy.

"Is that even possible?" he inquired. The mediwitch shrugged.

"I'm not sure, I've never heard of a case where a muggle man has made a wizard pregnant, or visa versa, but it's plausible with your power levels, Harry. I can do some research into it as the pregnancy progresses. That is, of course, if you're keeping the baby?"

"Of course I'm keeping it!" he snapped, glaring at her for even suggesting he wouldn't. She held her hands up defensively.

"I know, I thought you'd say that, but I had to ask, it's my duty. Now, I'll take a trip to St Mungo's and get you the necessary potions to aid a male pregnancy, and we can inquire about finding you a healer. I have a friend who specialises in male pregnancy, I'll see if he's got space. He's trustworthy," she added, seeing Harry's suspicious look. "Remus, if anything serious happens, call me. Get some rest, Harry dear," she added softly, squeezing Harry's shoulder. He managed a faint smile at her as she left, then looked up to Remus, his eyes wide.

"Rem… I'm gonna be a dad." Remus smiled at him, squeezing his hand.

"Congratulations, cub. You're going to be a wonderful father," he said sincerely. Harry beamed at him, even as tears welled in his eyes. He was pregnant with Tony's child. Tony, who he'd never see again.

"Merlin, I can never tell him, can I?" he realised, and Remus didn't need to ask to know who he was talking about.

"I'm sorry, love. I wish things had worked out better for you. But you don't know what the future holds, and… at least now you'll always have part of him with you. Even if he's not here, you're having a child with him; that's a huge thing." Harry managed a tearful smile at Remus' words, leaning into his godfather's side.

"I need to tell Hermione," he murmured. She was the most likely to be happy for him without judging; no one else could quite believe he'd had a two-week relationship with a muggle in Malibu. Molly still hadn't quite forgiven her sons for giving him the tickets, claiming the freedom had gone to his head and corrupted him.

"Let's take you down to the living room, you can floo the school and ask to talk to her," Remus suggested, helping Harry up out of bed. Harry rested a hand on his flat stomach, unable to believe that there was a life growing underneath the skin. With Remus' arm around his waist, Harry got downstairs and settled himself on the hearth rug, tossing floo powder into the fire.

"Headmaster's office, Hogwarts," he called firmly, nausea rising at the jarring sensation of his head travelling while his body stayed in place. Dumbledore was sat at his desk when he arrived, and a bushy eyebrow rose upon seeing him.

"Harry, well, this is a surprise. What can I do for you, my boy?" he asked pleasantly.

"I need to talk to Hermione," Harry explained. "It's urgent. I don't suppose you could give her permission to floo over for a couple of hours?" It was a Saturday, so she wouldn't be missing any classes.

"Of course, that shouldn't be a problem," Dumbledore agreed, already reaching for a quill and parchment. "Might I ask what the problem is? I do hope it's nothing serious." Harry let out a quiet chuckle, smiling ruefully.

"That depends on your definition of serious, I suppose. You'll find out soon enough, sir, but… I want to talk to Hermione first about it. I promise it's not life-threatening," he added, knowing what 'urgent' had meant for him in the past. Dumbledore looked concerned, but sent off a quick message to Hermione.

"I'll send Miss Granger thorough when she arrives," he informed his ex-student, setting down his quill. "If you want to return to yourself; you're looking rather peaky, I must say." Harry smiled in relief, nodding.

"Thank you, sir. I'll see you soon."

"Take care, Harry," Dumbledore replied, and Harry pulled himself backwards, yanking his head out of the flames. He shook his head, coughing as he fell back out of the fireplace in Grimmauld, and looked up to see Remus waiting with tea and chocolate biscuits. Harry smiled, rubbing the ash off his nose and crawling onto the sofa, sipping gratefully at the tea.

"Thanks, Rem. Hermione will be over soon," he informed the werewolf, who smiled.

"Good, good. You do know this is going to be fine, don't you? We're all here for you; you won't be raising this baby alone." Harry reached over for a hug, smiling at Remus.

"I know," he confirmed. "And I'm really, really grateful for that. I just… I wish Tony were here, y'know? It's his baby too." Remus kissed him on the forehead, letting him go as the fireplace flared green. Hermione stepped out, looking worried.

"Harry! What's wrong? The headmaster said it was urgent!" she exclaimed, looking around for signs of danger. Harry smiled at her, patting the seat beside him.

"Calm down, Hermione, it's nothing bad. I just needed to talk to you about something. Sit down, have some tea," he urged. Hermione looked perplexed, but obeyed, accepting the mug of tea Remus offered her.

"What is it? You don't look too brilliant," she remarked, eyeing him shrewdly. Harry shrugged, leaning back into the sofa as Remus squeezed his hand.

"Yes, well… I need to tell you something, and I need you to promise me you won't freak out. I mean it," he said seriously, making Hermione frown in confusion.

"I promise," she agreed instantly. "Now tell me what's going on." Harry took a deep breath, preparing himself for the worst.

"I'm pregnant with Tony Stark's child," he declared, a weight seeming to lift off his shoulders at saying the words aloud. Hermione gaped for several seconds, then threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, _Harry_ ," she murmured, sadness in her tone. "That's… it's wonderful about the baby, I know you've always wanted kids, but… you're seventeen."

"I know," he replied, releasing her. "But I've finished school, and I _really_ want this baby. I might not be able to tell Tony about it, but… it's his child, Hermione." She kissed him on the forehead, stroking his hair.

"I wish you could tell him," she murmured. "I wish you could fly over to Malibu and tell him you're having his baby without breaking the statute of secrecy, I really do."

"You've seen the news, Hermione. He's moved on." It hadn't even been a week after Harry had left before Tony was photographed in a club making out with some random woman, the magazine telling the readers how he'd clearly split with his boytoy.

"He still calls you twice a week, at least," Hermione pointed out. "That doesn't sound like a man who's moved on to me." Harry shrugged, not wanting to get into the discussion. If he thought he'd get anything out of flying to Malibu to be with Tony, he'd have done it weeks ago. He knew it would never last, even if the charming bastard had stolen his heart in the two weeks they'd been together. "I'm happy for you, Harry. And thank you for telling me first," she added, smiling. "Have you thought about how you're going to tell the others?" He winced, shaking his head.

"Preferably behind a spell barrier, from very far away," he answered, and Hermione giggled, smacking his shoulder.

"Harry!" she scolded, still laughing. "I'm serious. They need to know, but you'll have to be… careful about how you tell them." He snorted, giving her a look.

"I'd worked that much out for myself," he replied wryly. "I figured I'd just give it a couple of days to sink in, then tell everyone over dinner or something." Hermione squeezed his hand lightly, offering a smile.

"Well, I'm behind you one hundred percent," she assured. "You'll make a fantastic father, I know you will. And if anyone deserves to have Tony Stark's illegitimate child, it's you." Harry snickered at her last words, shaking his head incredulously.

"Bloody hell, this is insane!" he muttered quietly, still shell-shocked.

"I'll go start on lunch, shall I?" Remus murmured, shifting out from under Harry to head to the kitchen.

"We'll have to owl-order you some pregnancy books, of course," Hermione started, and Harry could practically see her making a mental list. "It might be best to do it under my name; the clerks at Flourish won't bat an eyelash at me ordering books about male pregnancy." She'd ordered books about stranger things in the past, and their policy seemed to be a firm 'don't even ask' when it came to Hermione Granger.

"Would you?" Harry requested, making her smile.

"Of course I will," she assured, kissing his cheek. "You're basically my brother, and you need to be prepared. Speaking of which, you'll have to make a list of everything you'll need for the baby; did Madame Pomfrey say she'd set you up with a healer?" Harry nodded, and she gave a satisfied nod. "Good. You'll need to get the boys to repaint and redecorate one of the rooms as a nursery, once you've told them. Or maybe Luna; she's good at art. And you'll need furniture, and nappies, and bottles, and oh! Maternity clothes! We'll need to figure out some other way to order those; I can't exactly order men's maternity clothes, can I? And you'll need clothes for the baby, too, and mmpf!" Harry placed a hand over her mouth to get her to shut up, giving her a pointed look.

"Hermione, I love you, but I only found out I'm pregnant half an hour ago. I have seven and a half months before this baby arrives, I don't even know what I'm _having_!" he exclaimed. "You can leave the lists until I've got my head around it a little better. _Please_." Hermione sighed, but relented, her hand stroking Harry's hair as he leaned into her side.

"This is a good thing, Harry. Everything will work out just fine," she murmured soothingly. Harry didn't answer, still trying to figure out how he could tell the Weasleys. And, more importantly, how to tell the press.

.-.-.

Harry woke up the same way he had the past few days; with the urge to spend a long time kneeling in front of the toilet. He was surprised when Remus didn't come in to help him like he usually did, but managed to clean himself up and calm his stomach enough to stumble downstairs, freezing in the kitchen doorway. Molly Weasley was stood at the stove, frying pan full of bacon in her hand, and Ginny and Ron were both sat at the table. Remus was leaning on the counter, and as such saw him first, giving an apologetic look and mouthing 'I didn't tell them'. Harry's eyes were wide, and Ron spotted him, grinning widely. "We heard the good news mate!" he exclaimed, getting to his feet. "Trust you to do the impossible _again_." Harry stayed frozen in place even as Ron hugged him, trying to get his brain into gear.

"Who… who told you?" he spluttered, unable to believe Hermione would let slip when he'd asked her not to.

"Dumbledore," Ginny replied. "He gave us the weekend off to celebrate the good news. The twins will be over after work, and Hermione, Neville and Luna are coming over once they've done some homework stuff." Harry groaned, wishing he could throttle the old coot. How had he even found out?

"Does _everyone_ know?" he asked incredulously. Ron shrugged, tugging him towards the table.

"Pretty much. Didn't know we were keeping it secret. Except from the press, obviously," he added, nudging Harry into the seat between him and Ginny. "Mum made eggs and bacon." Harry felt his stomach turn, and shook his head.

"No thanks; I can't stomach either at the moment. Moony, would you…?" he trailed off, lips curving into a smile when Remus set a plate of dry toast and a cup of tea in front of him. "I love you," he declared firmly, making the werewolf smile fondly.

"Sleep well?" he asked, carding a hand through Harry's hair.

"Yeah, not bad," Harry replied, sipping at his tea and dutifully ignoring the Weasleys invading his kitchen. He loved them to pieces, but he'd really wanted a few days to just digest the news before having everyone else around.

"It's a shame, really," Molly remarked absently, plating up eggs and bacon for the rest of the room's occupants. "You'd think a man as famous as Tony Stark would be more careful." Harry's shoulders stiffened, and Ginny snorted.

"Careful, I don't know, but I'm not surprised at all he's still in America and Harry's here alone. He's got quite a reputation; I saw it on that intranet thing, Hermione showed me how," she added.

"Tony's a muggle," Harry cut in angrily. "He wouldn't even know getting me pregnant was possible. Hell, _I_ didn't even know getting me pregnant was possible. He was as careful as we both thought he'd need to be. And I'm sure if I told, him he'd be here; his reputation is mostly exaggeration." He wasn't completely certain on the last points, but it was better than admitting to Molly and Ginny he thought Tony wouldn't care even if he told him about the baby. The two women didn't need any more ammunition to hate the Stark heir, from the sounds of it.

"Yes, well," Molly continued, lips pursed as she sat down with her own breakfast. "You can hardly blame me for wishing you were having this baby in a stable relationship. You're only seventeen, Harry; children are a lot of work, especially for one person." Harry clenched his jaw, biting back the first five responses that came to mind; pregnant or not, if he said any of them to Molly he'd surely get a slap.

"I'm no stranger to hard work, Molly," he pointed out, forcing himself to keep his voice even. "And I've always wanted kids, regardless of whether I'm in a relationship. And single parents all over the world seem to do alright, I'm sure I'll be fine. I've got Moony." Molly's lips pursed even tighter at his words, looking as though she'd swallowed a lemon, clearly offended at the implication that she wouldn't be there for him too.

"Leave him alone, Molly, he's had a hard night of it. Up about five times in the night to go kneel in front of the toilet," Remus cut in, resting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?" Harry asked apologetically, but Remus shook his head, smiling.

"Not a bother, cub; I'd rather know, so you can't pretend it never happened. Eat up." Harry gave his guardian a sheepish grin, reaching for more toast, and Ron rather obviously directed the conversation towards the twins' latest product; something Molly apparently had very strong opinions of. Harry let it wash over him, excusing himself as soon as he could to go shower and change, his stomach finally calmed enough for him to consider movement. He knew he shouldn't let Molly's old-fashioned views get to him, but hearing her badmouth Tony like that boiled his blood. He was well aware of the man's reputation, but having been in a similar situation with the Prophet his entire life, he knew all too well how often the press could blow things out of proportion and completely manipulate situations to create more scandal and sell more papers.

That didn't stop him privately wishing that he were raising his child with Tony, though. He rather thought the older man would be a brilliant father, already being somewhat of an overgrown child himself. He'd probably doubt himself every step of the way, but… Harry would set him straight. Shaking his head, he mentally scolded himself, glaring at his reflection in the mirror as he tried to tame his wet hair. Thinking like that would get him nowhere. Tony was in Malibu and had no idea about the baby or magic or anything, and Harry couldn't tell him. They'd both move on, and be better for it.

Somehow, by the time dinner rolled around, the entire extended Weasley clan were in his house and Molly had once again invaded his kitchen. Bill and Fleur were the only ones not there, busy with their own newborn; an adorable strawberry blonde little girl named Victoire. Harry stayed well out of it, sat in the living room with Remus and the rest of the crowd — except Ginny and Hermione, who had been commandeered into helping the Weasley matriarch, with much protestation. They kept the conversation off the baby, though Harry could see their eyes frequently straying to his stomach, even though there wasn't yet anything there to see. He wished he could excuse himself to his room for a bit of quiet and a nap, but Molly kept reminding him that they were all gathered there to congratulate him. He didn't want congratulations; he just wanted to curl up and sleep.

As guilty as he felt for thinking it, Harry was glad he wasn't back at Hogwarts with the others. He loved them all, but being pregnant at Hogwarts would have been a nightmare; Molly Weasley may not have had access to him, but the entire student population would, and it was impossible to keep a secret at Hogwarts. He was even somewhat glad his friends were all at school; he loved the peace and quiet more than he'd expected to, with just Remus and the odd visitor or two. The rest of the Weasley family tended to leave him alone outside of the occasional lunch or dinner, and very rarely all gathered around his at once. With so many of them, it was hard to get everyone free in the same evening; he wondered how they'd managed to convene at his at such short notice.

Molly finally called them all into the kitchen, and Harry entered with a wary sniff, Remus stepping aside behind him should he need to run from the room. Luckily, nothing seemed to set off his over-sensitive stomach, and he let out a sigh that was neither relief nor dismay, going to take his seat. Perhaps being unable to stand the smell in the kitchen would have been a blessing; he might have been able to eat in his room, away from everyone else. Still, he couldn't avoid them forever.

"How's school going, then?" he asked the small contingency who were back at Hogwarts, grinning.

"Alright, yeah. Shame you're not with us though, mate," Ron replied, speaking around a mouthful of bread and earning a disgusted look from Hermione. "It's so weird without you."

"Oh, I dunno. You might actually be able to have a normal school year for once," Harry joked, drawing several snorts from his friends.

"We live in hope," Ginny said cheerily, grinning at him. Harry grinned back, reaching across Fred for the bowl of bread and a pat of butter, dragging them next to his plate.

"Don't eat it all, Harry. You're meant to be eating healthier," Remus scolded from his other side, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"I'm meant to be putting on weight, Poppy said I'm too skinny. Bread is good for that," he argued petulantly, tearing a piece of buttered bread in half and stuffing one half into his mouth. Remus rolled his eyes, a fond look on his face, and went back to his own food.

Harry nearly jumped in his seat when his pocket began to vibrate quietly, reminding him of the phone he wouldn't admit to carrying around with him. His full stomach twisted itself into knots at the interruption; only one person would be calling him. "Excuse me a minute," he murmured. "Just going to the loo." Getting up from his chair, he left the kitchen and made for the stairs, pulling the phone from his pocket when he was out of earshot. Tony's name was flashing on the screen, and he pressed 'accept call', lifting the device to his ear and slipping inside his bedroom. "Hey, Tony," he greeted as brightly as he could manage, perching on the edge of his bed and shuffling back to lean against the headboard, free arm automatically curling over his stomach.

"Hey there, bright eyes. You feeling any better? Or are you still on bedrest?" Harry felt a sudden swell of emotion overtake him at the innocent question, so intense he had to choke back a sob. Of course, Tony probably thought he had a stomach bug or something; he'd never know that Harry was carrying his child, _their child_ , inside him.

"Yeah, Tony," he replied eventually, valiantly stopping his voice wavering. "I'm doing fine. Guess it was just a week-long thing, or something." He tried to sound cheerful, hoping the phone would distort it just enough to make it believable.

"Oh, that's good. Stomach bugs are never fun," Tony sympathised, sounding relieved.

"Agreed, I'm glad it's over. How's the Super Duke going?" Harry queried, wanting to distract the older man before he could realise he sounded off. The tactic worked, and Tony quite happily enthused about all the progress he'd made with the motorbike, and how he couldn't wait to take her out but Pepper wanted him to finish safety-testing first.

"Which is ridiculous, of course. Who the hell needs to safety-test something that I made, I mean, come on!" Harry snorted, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Heaven forbid you make something unsafe," he agreed wryly.

"Exactly!" Tony exclaimed, and Harry could practically hear the grin in his voice. "So yeah, that's on hold for a little while so JARVIS can do testing in front of Pep and reassure her I'm not going to kill myself or anything. I'm back to doing work stuff until she lets me out to play," he whined, making Harry snicker.

"Oh, you poor thing," he replied, mock-sympathetic. "I'm sure if you whinge about it long enough she'll give up and let you play on your bike."

"I hope so. But anyway, how's your day been? It's night time there, right?" Harry swallowed convulsively, tensing once more as his mind went back over a day's worth of coddling and fussing and staring at his stomach and conversations about nurseries and baby names.

"It's, uh, been pretty uneventful," he lied. "Mostly just relaxing and waiting for the stomach bug to finish itself off. Nothing to write home about."

"Lame," Tony declared. "Here I thought you were a party animal."

"Just because we met in a club, doesn't mean I'm a party animal. Besides, I'm sick, leave me be," Harry protested feebly, rolling his eyes. He couldn't help but remember the night in the club when they'd first met, and what it had led to. That was probably the night their baby was conceived; it was the only time they'd gone without protection that he could remember. God, what kind of person was he, keeping a man's child from him? If Tony knew, he'd probably hate him.

"Fine, fine, I'll let you off this once. But when you're back on your feet I anticipate juicy stories about your wild British nightlife. Last time I was in England overnight I was too young to drink, even there," the American remarked. Harry smiled halfheartedly to himself, feeling his eyes begin to water. He couldn't do this.

"No promises; I'm sure our nightlife isn't as great as you think it is." He coughed to hide the wetness to his voice, hugging himself tighter around the waist. "Listen, Tony; it's getting late, and I'm exhausted. I should get to bed, and you should probably get back to work before Pepper hunts you down."

"Right, right, of course, sure," Tony agreed hastily. "Feel better soon, okay? I know you said you're better but you don't sound better so I'm going to assume you're lying. I'll call you again soon. Look after yourself, gorgeous."

"You too, Tony. Talk soon." Hanging up, Harry let the phone fall to the mattress, a sob working its way from his throat. Squeezing his eyes shut, he didn't notice the door being nudged open and a figure walking in until the bed dipped and an arm slung around his shoulders, pulling him tight to a warm body that smelled of books and chocolate.

"Oh, cub," Remus murmured, kissing his head as Harry's tears soaked his cardigan. "Things will get better, they will."

"How do you know, Moons?" Harry asked, voice quiet. "How can this _possibly_ get better? The man is halfway across the world and has no idea I'm carrying his fucking _child_ and will probably never see me again and go back to his one-night stands and I'll be here with his kid wishing I could tell him. As far as I see it, it can only get worse." Remus sighed, hugging him tighter.

"Just trust me, love. These things have a way of working themselves out, even if it's not in the way you expect. I promise it'll get better soon," he assured, stroking the teen's hair. "Now why don't I go see our guests out and put the kettle on? We can sit in here and watch a film. I'll even break out the good chocolate." Harry smiled involuntarily, looking up from the man's shoulder to see him smiling back. "Come on, it'll be fun. Take your mind off things."

"Yeah, alright," the black-haired man agreed eventually. "But won't Molly be upset about being shooed out?" Remus rolled his eyes, smile turning somewhat mischievous.

"Probably, but after all she's said to you today, she could do with a little upset. Besides, the kids should all get back to Hogwarts, and when they're gone there's not much reason for her to stay. Go on, get into your pyjamas and pick out a DVD, I'll lock up for the night," he assured, kissing Harry's forehead once more and squeezing him before getting off the bed, slipping from the room. Harry reached for the box of tissues on his nightstand and wiped at his eyes, lazily summoning his pyjama bottoms from the drawer. Remus was right about many things, and Harry just hoped this was one of them.


	10. Chapter 10

Already halfway through his first trimester, Harry hoped he would soon start seeing an end to the morning sickness. Unfortunately, according to the books Hermione had sent him, the sickness lasted right through the pregnancy in some men. Still, those were rare cases; most people were okay around the beginning of the second trimester, so the books said.

Thankfully, after the quick travel of information following his initial announcement, the news of his pregnancy seemed to be staying in the family. The last thing he wanted was for the Prophet to catch wind of it, especially before the second trimester; the books said miscarriage in the first trimester was fairly common. Harry tried not to think on the exact statistics too much, hoping the Potter Luck would carry his baby through to term. He hadn't realised just how desperately he wanted to be a father until the option was presented to him.

September 22nd found him and Remus flooing to a private room in St Mungo's for his first appointment with the healer recommended by Madame Pomfrey. He wrung his hands nervously on his lap, and Remus squeezed his shoulder with a small smile. "Calm down, cub; everything will be fine." Harry opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when the door opened, and a smiling man with dirty blonde hair and lime green healer's robes poked his head in.

"Ah, good, Mr Potter. I'm Healer Thompson, I'll be looking after you for the duration of the pregnancy," he declared, slipping into the room. Harry shook the man's hand with an anxious smile, rising from his seat.

"Hi, Healer. It's good to meet you; Poppy has nothing but praise for you," he complimented, making the man chuckle.

"Yes, well, I have only the same for her. Why don't you change into the scrubs behind the screen while I get set up, yeah?" Thompson suggested, gesturing to the screen set up in the corner. Harry nodded, ducking behind it to change into the pale green scrubs set out for him, emerging to find the bed set up for him, Thompson waiting with a bright quill in hand that was no doubt spelled to record his vitals. Climbing up to lay on the bed, Harry tried not to shake too much, reaching for Remus' hand as the man came to stand beside him. "I understand you'll be doing this one solo, then, Mr Potter?" the Healer asked, gently nudging Harry's top up to bare his stomach. "The other father isn't around?"

Harry swallowed thickly, shaking his head. "No, no, he won't be involved," he replied, jaw set defiantly, as if daring the man to protest. Thompson merely continued to smile, his expression non-judgemental.

"Then it's good you've got Mr Lupin here with you, isn't it?" he remarked brightly. "Sorry, this is going to tingle a bit." He murmured a spell under his breath, wand pointed at Harry's stomach, and the teen automatically tensed, gripping his godfather's hand a little tighter. He gasped as a flat screen of magic hovered in the air above his stomach, showing the monochrome blur of his ultrasound, similar to the muggle machines. Thompson shifted around to get a better look at it, lips pursed, and Harry's heart pounded in his chest as he waited for the man to speak, half expecting him to say there was something wrong with the baby. "I understand this little one was conceived in rather… unusual circumstances, correct?"

It took him a moment to figure out what the Healer meant, before Harry nodded. "The other father is a muggle, yes. Why, is that going to cause problems? Is everything alright?"

"Oh, no, no; everything looks perfectly in order, I assure you. You'll just have to be very careful later on. The womb will need more magic than usual to compensate, as it won't be drawing from the other father, but from what I hear that isn't a problem for you," he added with a wink, making Harry flush. No, his magical levels were definitely not likely to deplete any time soon. "But all the same, do try and use magic as little as possible, if you can."

"I hardly use it anyway, ever since, y'know," Harry replied with a shrug. Seeing what his magic could do to a man like Voldemort made him realise just how dangerous it could be; it seemed silly to use it for things he could just as easily do without. "But duly noted." Thompson smiled at him, pointing at the centre of the scan, where there was a small grey-white bean-shaped blob.

"That little thing right there is your baby," he told him, and Harry's breath caught in his throat. "Give it until Christmas, we'll be able to tell the sex. But he or she is perfectly healthy, and Daddy's in good shape too," he added with a grin. "Though you could stand to put on a bit. Have you been getting morning sickness?"

"Oh, Merlin, yes," Remus groaned before Harry could answer, and the teen snorted.

"Most days, but it's better than it was," he agreed, and Healer Thompson nodded.

"Right, well, I'll prescribe you the usual prenatal potions, plus something that should help with the sickness. I want you to put on as much weight as you can manage; you'll need it in the long run." Harry smiled gratefully, still staring at the scan. Thompson began to cast spells on him, his enchanted quill scribbling furiously on parchment. Tensing at the unfamiliar magic washing over him, Harry forced himself to relax, knowing the man was only taking his vitals and checking on the baby. He'd been recommended by Poppy; he was trustworthy.

"Could I get some pictures of this?" he asked, glancing over at the man. "For the family."

"Of course, of course." With a flick of his wand, a small stack of photos appeared on the desk, and the Healer passed them over to Remus for safe-keeping. "Now, you're fairly early on so this isn't as important as it will be later, but it's good to get you into good habits. Absolutely no quidditch, or flying whatsoever if you can help it. No other contact sports, or dangerous activity; I know that's a hard ask for you, Mr Potter, but now you're out of school you should be able to manage it," he added with a grin, watching Harry flush sheepishly. "No brewing certain potions — I can have a list written up for you if you'd like — no smoking, no alcohol, no more than one cup of coffee per day if you have to have it, no self-transfiguration or other body-transforming magics, including animagus magic. No portkeys from now on, and no apparating after you're four months gone. I'm afraid it's floo powder or walking, for you." Harry grimaced, making Remus chuckle. Floo was his least-favourite method of magical transportation.

"So basically, I can't do much of anything," the teen surmised, and Thompson shrugged.

"Oh, far from it; there's plenty you can do, you just have to be careful. What are your plans now that you're out of Hogwarts? I had heard rumours of you joining the Auror Department." Harry shook his head.

"No, I was actually planning on applying here, at St Mungo's. Obviously I won't be able to do that, now," he replied with a frown. It would be too stressful for him to be learning on the wards while pregnant, not to mention dangerous; all sorts of magical accidents ended up at Mungo's.

"You want to be a Healer?" Thompson asked, surprised. "Well, that's an admirable goal. But you're right, you won't be able to start just yet. You could wait, though, and start after your pregnancy. Or apply for the home-learning programme." Harry looked up at him in confusion, and the blonde smiled. "It's not unusual for people to get pregnant right out of Hogwarts; St Mungo's has a home-learning programme in place for that, and other circumstances. I can get you the application forms at your next appointment, if you'd like."

"Could you?" Harry requested, feeling brighter about his prospects. He was excited about being a father, but that didn't mean he wanted to put his life on hold and become a stay-at-home dad the rest of his life. He'd worried he would have to give up his hopes of becoming a Healer until his child was old enough to be left with Remus during the day.

"Of course," Thompson assured, writing down a note on his parchment. He closed the scan screen down, smiling at Harry. "If you'd like to get dressed again, I'll go and get your potions and we can book your next appointment." Helping Harry down from the examination bed, he slipped out of the exam room, leaving Harry to duck behind the screen and change back into his clothes.

"How are you feeling, cub?" Remus called over to him, and Harry let out a long sigh, hand unconsciously resting on his still-flat stomach.

"Weird," he admitted honestly. "I mean, I'm fine, but… that's confirmed it, y'know? There's a baby growing inside me. Tony's baby." Back in his own clothes, he walked out from behind the screen, and Remus stood to wrap an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug.

"This'll be a good thing, cub. Maybe not in the best circumstances, but… things happen for a reason, y'know?" Harry smiled, forehead pressed to Remus' chest.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." Even if he never saw Tony again, and couldn't risk the rejection by telling him if he ever did, he would always have a reminder of the man in the form of the amazing life growing within him. He wasn't quite sure yet if that was the best thing to happen to him, or the most heartbreaking. He was never going to move on from Tony if he was raising the man's child.

.-.-.

With nothing else to do with his time, and not wanting to risk being caught out by the Prophet and having the entire wizarding world know of his pregnancy, Harry spend most of his time at Grimmauld Place with Remus. The werewolf was working on the first draft of his new Defence text, and so was perfectly happy to sit and write in the living room just to keep Harry company. Harry even helped, sometimes, knowing plenty about advanced Defence spells.

Every now and then, Molly came over and managed to persuade him into leaving the house and going to Diagon Alley with her, promising not to say a word about the baby if he did. Ordinarily he wouldn't mind, but with his pregnancy being off-limits, that only left her more conversation time to talk about the rest of his life; what he was planning on doing, how he'd be taking care of the baby, and — most irritatingly — if he was considering getting back into the dating scene. Because, two-week relationships with muggle billionaires aside, 'you would be happier with a partner, Harry, and that baby would be better off with two parents'. He loved her dearly, but she was beginning to grate on his nerves; there was absolutely nothing wrong with being a single parent, and his child would have enough aunts and uncles to keep him or her occupied. He'd lost count of the amount of times Remus had had to calm him down after an outing with Molly, and it was getting to the point where he was actively dodging her floo calls.

Surprisingly, the elder Weasleys were his most frequent visitors. With all his friends his own age busy at Hogwarts, and the twins working tirelessly at their shop, Bill, Charlie and Fleur came to spend time with him more often than anyone else. It was nice; Harry hadn't spoken much with them before, and he found he really got along with all three of them. Charlie especially, with the man's sense of humour quite similar to his own. And with Bill and Fleur came Victoire, and Harry couldn't get enough of the bubbly little baby. The veela woman was happy to sit and talk to him about pregnancy, both from her own experience and what she knew of male pregnancies from one of her cousins, who had given birth twice. It was strangely comforting, having someone who had only just gone through the same process he was starting. And, well, learning what to do with a newborn could only be a good thing.

"Knut for your thoughts?" Harry glanced up, seeing Charlie peeking into his room, a grin on his face. "You looked a bit lost in daydreams, there. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, just thinking. Your mum kidnapped me again today. Took me to the Burrow to teach me how to bake her special chocolate cake," he said with a roll of his eyes, and Charlie smirked knowingly.

"Oh, yeah, Ginny loves that cake. But surely Mum knows you can already cook?" Harry shook his head, getting up from the bed.

"Apparently not. And, as an expecting parent, I need to know all these things. Cooking, cleaning, how to run a household. Because I definitely haven't been doing that since I was four years old," he muttered, voice a little harsher than intended. Charlie winced, squeezing Harry's shoulder as they wandered down the corridor, heading for the stairs.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. She's just excited, y'know? First Fleur, now you. In her mind, it's the start of a glorious cascade of grandbabies," he joked, making Harry snicker. "Just be thankful you're actually having a kid; I swear, if she doesn't keep going on at me about making an honest woman of Dora so I can get on with the baby-making, I'll get a tattoo just to piss her off."

"Charlie, you already _have_ a tattoo," Harry pointed out with a raised eyebrow, watching the man's grin widen.

"Yeah, but Mum doesn't know that." He winked, clapping Harry on the back. "What I'm trying to say is, don't let her get to you. She'll settle down and go back to pestering Fleur about Vicky when the hype of you being pregnant fades. And then when you've had your brat she'll go double-strength on the rest of us until we pop out a few. The twins and I are hoping Ron knocks Hermione up straight out of Hogwarts, that'll give the rest of us a bit of a break."

"Merlin, Hermione would be furious," Harry mused, grimacing. Hermione had very clear plans of her post-Hogwarts life, and that didn't involve children until she was established in her career. "How is Tonks, anyway? I've not seen her around in a while." The relationship between her and the dragon tamer wasn't entirely unexpected — apparently they'd been close at Hogwarts before Charlie had left for Romania — and Harry privately thought it was only a matter of time before Dora had a ring on her finger.

"Oh, she's fine. Busy at work," Charlie replied, getting a sappy grin as he talked about his girlfriend. "We think she might be getting promoted soon. Kingsley's been whispering."

"Oh, wow, that's great! Send her my congratulations," Harry enthused, smiling at Remus as the pair of them wandered into the kitchen to find the man set up at the table, writing. "Hi, Moony. Everything alright?" Remus smiled, sipping at his mug of tea.

"All fine here, Harry. How are you? Hungry?" Harry made a face, and the man's brown eyes grew stern. "Cub, you need to eat. You barely had anything for breakfast, and it's well past lunch. You know Healer Thompson said you need to gain weight."

"I'm taking the nutrient potions," the teen protested, but Remus didn't budge.

"They're not meal replacements," he reminded, eyebrow raised.

"Come on, Harry. I'll make you some soup and we can go up and watch one of those film things in your room," Charlie suggested, nudging the younger man into a chair. Harry smiled up at him, resting his head on his arms.

"Merlin knows why Molly thinks I need a partner to raise this kid. I've got all you lot to look after it, and look after me while you're at it," he joked, making the redhead laugh.

"What else are brothers for? Just so long as I can give the brat back to you when it doesn't stop screaming," he teased, and Harry grinned, unable to help himself imagining a small baby of indeterminate gender with his eyes and Tony's hair. He didn't doubt that even screaming its head off, that kid would be adorable. Glancing down at his stomach, he placed a hand on it, wondering when he'd start getting visibly pregnant. He couldn't wait.

.-.-.

Lying on his bed with a book in his hands, Harry relished in the silence of his bedroom. It had been a Hogsmeade weekend, and the entire Hogwarts contingency had decided it would be a fantastic idea to visit him once he got home from his Healer's appointment — without informing him, of course. Turning up to find his house full of people was not what he'd been expecting, and he'd only just managed to get rid of them. It was great, seeing all his friends, but… really, a little warning would have been nice.

It was still strange for him, knowing all his friends were at Hogwarts without him. While they sat and talked about classes and teachers and all the gossip going on at Hogwarts, he couldn't really connect to it in the same way he had when he'd been with them. Yes, he knew who the people were, but he didn't talk to them or see them and he really didn't care that they'd been caught snogging someone in the greenhouses. Still, it was better than talking about how he was having to pee twenty times a day and still couldn't hold down most solid food.

Sighing to himself, he set his book down, rolling onto his back. He was too tired to concentrate on reading. Glancing over at his desk, he smiled at the thin envelope resting there, containing his acceptance forms into the home-learning St Mungo's programme. He'd filled out the application at the hospital before his appointment, and was accepted before he'd left. Hopefully with something to do he'd stop feeling so restless. Or maybe that was just a pregnancy symptom.

A chirping noise jolted him from his thoughts, and it took him a little while to realise it was the phone on the nightstand. HIs stomach churned in a way that had nothing to do with pregnancy sickness, but he reached over to answer it all the same. "Hey, Tony."

"Hey, gorgeous. I didn't wake you, did I? You sound tired. I forget what time it is over there. Hell, I'm not entirely sure what time it is _here_ ," Tony muttered, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm tired, yeah, but I've just been… busy recently. Family stuff, y'know. Helping with the new baby, sorting out college stuff." As far as the muggle was concerned, Harry was starting university now. He could hardly tell the man he was sitting around doing nothing, or he'd want an explanation.

"Right, right. How's that going?"

"Good, yeah. Nothing special so far, really. How's stuff with you?" Harry wished Tony would take the bait, would start off on one of his rants about Stark Industries. Anything to get the conversation off him.

"Y'know, same old, same old. Pepper's mad at me because I skipped out on some meetings again. Went out to some gala thing at the weekend, total bore. The things we do for money, right?" Tony remarked dryly, and Harry forced a laugh. He'd seen news articles on that gala on his laptop; from what he'd seen, Tony had been having a brilliant time, with a pretty woman on each arm. Not that he was jealous or anything.

"Surely you're used to those things by now," he reasoned, but Tony made a noise of protest.

"You can never, ever get used to those things, I'm telling you. I have yet to go to one I've actually enjoyed without having to get wasted." He paused, then hummed. "Are you sure you're okay? You sound kinda… off. Has something happened?" Harry swallowed, hand on his stomach as he rucked up his t-shirt, exposing the slightest swell of his belly that would soon grow rapidly. If only Tony knew.

"No, everything's fine, I swear. I'm just tired." It was the first time he'd spoken to Tony in about three weeks now, and it was no longer the highlight of his week. All it did was make him feel sick with guilt, and an awful yearning feeling gnaw at his chest. He shouldn't be clinging on, he knew, but he couldn't make himself ignore Tony's calls when his phone rang. He was pathetic.

"Oh, okay. Want me to let you get some sleep? I can call back another time," the older man suggested, trailing off awkwardly. Despite knowing that 'another time' would probably be several weeks from now. Harry bit his lip.

"Yeah. That would probably be best," he agreed, running a hand through his hair. "Talk to you soon, yeah? It's good to hear from you."

"You too," Tony replied, voice oddly soft, before he coughed. "Talk soon, Evan. Hope you feel better soon." With that he hung up, and Harry let out a long, slow breath, squeezing his eyes shut. Merlin, he was just torturing himself. There was no way Tony felt the same way as Harry did about him, and even if he did, they'd probably never meet again. If he had been a muggle, he would have just written it off as a fun summer fling, his first love, and have moved on with his life — probably by hooking up with a couple of anonymous people who looked suspiciously like Tony Stark just to get over him — but magic had to complicate things, as per usual.

With a groan, he tossed his phone back onto the nightstand, rolling over to bury his face in his pillow. The sooner he stopped talking to Tony, the better, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do so.

.-.

Shuffling groggily downstairs the next morning after fifteen minutes kneeling in front of the toilet, he immediately frowned upon seeing Remus' face as the werewolf stared at the newspaper. "What is it now?" he asked, brows furrowing. Remus startled at his voice, but didn't even attempt to hide the paper from him, handing it over so Harry could read the front page.

_**'Potter applies for home-study; Saviour damaged in final battle?'** _

The entire story was about how he'd applied for the home-learning course — which was meant to be confidential, he'd be having some words with the St Mungo's administrative staff — and maybe he hadn't come out as injury-free as he'd led them to believe. They'd even speculated that his 'disappearance' for two weeks earlier in the summer had been him retreating to get private treatment for some deadly condition. According to their journalists, he was either dying, bedbound or crazy. Just another day at the Daily Prophet, then.

A scowl on his face, his eyes flicked up to the date on the paper, and suddenly he was unsurprised that things had come out on that day.

Halloween. Of course. Then again, it could have been worse.


	11. Chapter 11

Despite everything written in the pregnancy books Harry had been reading, he had yet to reach the point where he was 'enjoying his pregnancy'. How anyone could possibly enjoy pregnancy when all it did was cause pain, nausea and tiredness, he didn't know, but Healer Thompson assured him that some people got symptoms worse than others, and they would probably fade soon.

It was nearly the end of November already, and whenever Harry left the house it was to be confronted with a barrage of Christmas decorations and festive cheer. They hadn't decorated Grimmauld yet, as Harry wanted to wait until his friends were home from Hogwarts and they could all do it together. His stomach starting to round out by now, he wasn't really in the mood to hang wreaths and baubles and put up a tree, and he could hardly expect Remus to do all the work.

Dragging himself out of bed, Harry paused in front of the mirror in his bathroom, lifting up the hem of his shirt and smiling at the small swell of his stomach. It wasn't noticeable just yet if he wore baggy clothing, but Healer Thompson assured him he'd soon have to start wearing maternity clothes. Harry preferred the scenario in which he just didn't go outside, but according to Remus that wasn't an option. Something about him going stir-crazy indoors and having to go on bed rest later in the pregnancy. Either way, it had involved Fleur shoving owl-order magazines full of clothes with elasticated waistbands at him. At least there were maternity clothes specifically for men; Harry would have refused point-blank to wear the flowery, frilly women's maternity clothes.

Heading back out into the bedroom after going through his morning routine, a hand automatically reached out to grab the phone resting on top of his dresser, tapping the screen to light up. He couldn't help but sigh when there was nothing; no missed calls, no new messages. He hadn't heard from Tony since Halloween, despite the man's promise of 'another time'. It hurt, but he tried not to think about it to much, and resisted the ever-present urge to call the American himself. It was a good thing, really; it meant Tony was moving on, and Harry needed him to do that. The more time he spent talking to Tony, the harder it was not to tell him about everything.

He couldn't yet bring himself to start checking the news specifically for updates on Tony's life, feeling far too guilty when he should be asking the man himself about it, but things came up while he was browsing the internet, and he'd seen more than a few articles about whoever Tony had been seen partying with. Plenty of them briefly mentioned that he seemed to have all but forgotten his 'summer fling', and it made Harry's chest ache.

"Cub, breakfast!" Remus called up the stairs, snapping Harry out of his maudlin thoughts. Setting the phone back down, he grabbed a warm jumper off the chair in the corner and left the room, hurrying downstairs and plastering a smile on his face. Remus had been more than patient with Harry's pining for Tony, but he'd probably soon get sick of it. It was best for everyone involved to pretend he was getting over it.

.-.-.

All too soon came the day that Hogwarts broke up for Christmas, and suddenly Grimmauld Place was alive with noise. Luckily, the only people who would actually be living there over Christmas break — other than Harry and Remus — were Neville and Luna, whose remaining family had died in the war. The Weasley family would be spending most of their time at the Burrow, though Harry was reminded several times that he had an open invitation, should he ever feel lonely.

He didn't take up that invitation as much as he thought Molly was expecting him to; spending time around the house just the four of them was actually kind of nice. Sure, his gut churned whenever he saw Neville and Luna being adorably in love with each other — which was most of the time — but he attributed it to the morning sickness. Neville and Luna were two people who appreciated the ability to be silent in company; all four of them could be in the same room together, doing their own things, not talking, and it would be comfortable. Part of Harry wished it could stay like that for longer than the Christmas holidays, with Remus writing in his armchair, Neville reading a book on Herbology, Harry doing some of his St Mungo's work and Luna sat on the floor in front of him, neck craned so her ear could press to his rapidly-increasing stomach. The baby's aura soothed her, apparently. Harry didn't mind, really; Luna was always polite about it, and respectful of his boundaries.

It only made the days when half the redheaded brood invaded that more chaotic; Harry loved them all dearly, and appreciated their company, but he hadn't realised how _active_ they were until he was in a state where all he wanted to do was sit. No one ever seemed to be standing still, or unoccupied, and everyone was in conversation _all the time_. It was jarring, after all the time he'd spent on his own. "Oh, is that your home-study work?" He looked up at the voice, smiling as Hermione approached to peer over his shoulder.

"No, actually. Gringotts stuff," he explained, flashing the bank's crest in the corner of the top page. "PotterCo. I need something to do when I'm not doing St Mungo's stuff, and, well… I'd have to take up the family business sooner or later." He smiled sheepishly at her, running a hand through his hair. "If I'm honest, this stuff is all far more interesting than the Healer training. I had no idea there would be so much history of medi-magic involved, it's driving me mad. I almost wish I could go down to the basement sometimes," he mused ruefully. The basement was his spellcrafting room, and had been since Dumbledore had begun teaching him at the beginning of his fifth year. He'd taken to manipulating raw magic like a duck to water, and had eventually created the spell that killed Voldemort. Several people had since told him that he could easily make a career of it, but… after forming a spell that was capable of nothing but destruction, he was wary to continue crafting for reasons other than fun. He never wanted to be in the situation again where he was creating a spell under someone else's instruction, a spell that other people would be allowed to use. He could trust himself with his creations; other people, not so much.

"Oh, really?" Hermione asked, sounding a little crestfallen. "That's a shame. But it's probably just because you can't do the practical work. I'm sure after the baby is born you'll start enjoying it more." Her tone was encouraging, and Harry didn't have the heart to tell her that he wasn't sure if he'd even still be doing the course by the time the baby was born. "What's happening with PotterCo, anyway?"

"Not much," he replied, flicking through the portfolio in his hands. "Not yet, at least. I've been talking with the goblins about how to go about getting the business back up and running. I've got galleons up to my eyeballs from interest since Dad died, but it's not actually doing anything. I was thinking about maybe using it to support smaller businesses, and wizarding businesses wanting to branch out into the muggle world. I don't know… it's all just a pipe dream at the moment, really. I have other priorities." He could fantasise all he liked about creating a company that would finally unite the muggle and wizarding worlds without the muggles ever catching wind of magic, but the Prophet would have a field day if Harry Potter went and became a businessman. Then again, when had he ever cared about the Prophet's opinion of him?

"Oh, that sounds fascinating! You will ask me if you need any help, won't you?" she pleaded, making him laugh, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Of course I will," he promised. "After all, you are the brains of this whole operation," he teased, chuckling at her blush. "Now how about I put this away and come be social for a little bit. I need to walk before the baby kicks a hole through my kidneys; maybe I'll be able to shift him."

"Him?" Hermione asked, eyebrows raising as they both got to their feet. "It's a boy?"

"Uh, I don't know," he admitted. "I don't get the scan until Christmas. I just… I have a feeling, y'know?" He rested a hand on his bump, a soft smile coming to his lips, and Hermione grinned at him.

"Merlin, I can't wait until this baby arrives. You're going to be a brilliant father, Harry." He smiled at her, kissing her temple, and together they rejoined the festive chaos that was the process of decorating the tree in the living room.

.-.-.

Harry wasn't alone again until late evening, and he wandered into the kitchen in the hopes of brewing some tea for himself. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Neville sat at the table, Harry's laptop open in front of him. Clearing his throat, he stifled a smile when the other boy nearly fell out of his chair in surprise, turning to look at him. "Harry! I'm sorry, I should've asked about borrowing it," he apologised quickly. "Only I was curious, and Luna said I should use it myself if I wanted to figure out how it worked."

"It's fine," Harry assured him with a smile. "I don't mind, honestly. How are you finding it?" He didn't know of any other wizard that used a laptop, even the muggleborns and halfbloods. Hermione admitted that she hadn't used a computer since before fourth year, but Harry had plans to change that; Christmas was coming up, after all.

"It's brilliant! I mean, I don't really know what to _do_ with it," Neville admitted with a grin. "But I'm sure it's great for people who know how to use them properly. And this Google thing is great! Imagine not having to look through a mountain of books when you want to know something!"

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Harry agreed, leaning against the counter as he waited for the kettle to boil. "I wish there was a way to make electrics work with magic, then everyone could have one. We could put the whole Hogwarts library online." He tried to imagine Hogwarts students with laptops and phones and things; the image made him laugh softly. Maybe one day.

"I'm sure if anyone could figure it out, it'd be you, mate," Neville encouraged brightly. Harry shrugged, humming noncommittally. It would probably take a lot of research, and it was entirely likely it was impossible. Perhaps sometime in the future, when PotterCo was up and running and he wasn't pregnant, he could attempt it.

"What were you Googling, anyway?" Harry queried, pouring out hot water into his mug, watching the tea immediately begin to steep from the bag. Neville's cheeks turned red, and he bit his lip.

"I, uh. I'm really sorry. I just wanted to know a bit about him. Everything you've said makes him sound… unique." Harry's stomach clenched uncomfortably, and the sensation doubled when Neville turned the laptop to face him, showing a picture of Tony's face. It was a news article from a while ago; shortly after Harry had left.

"Oh. Right," Harry murmured, staring unblinkingly at the image. "It's fine, really. I don't blame you for being curious. Can you imagine what I'd be like if the situation were reversed?" he added with a forced laugh, making Neville smile slightly.

"You'd be up in court for breaking the statute, and probably for stalking as well," he joked. "If you, uh, want to talk about him, I'm here. I won't judge or anything. And… sometimes you need to say things out loud before you can process the feelings and move on from them." Harry smiled, touched at his friend's compassion. He knew that Neville was the least likely of his friends to judge, except perhaps Luna. The pair suited each other incredibly well.

"Thanks, Nev. I might take you up on that sometime. When I'm less tired." He sipped at his tea, a half-smile on his face. "Is it bad that looking back, if I'd known then what was going to happen, with the baby and everything… the only thing I'd have done differently is stay in Malibu? Even if I had to hide it from him with glamours and stuff."

"Why don't you go back? After the baby's born," Neville suggested, sounding completely serious. Harry snorted.

"Are you kidding? He's already moving on now, mate, let alone five more months from now. I'd only be setting myself up for heartbreak, and I've had enough of that in my life." Shaking his head, he picked up his mug and moved to stand behind Neville's chair, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "No, no. I miss him, and I love him, but it's not meant to be. And I have bigger things to worry about now than what would have happened if I'd stayed."

"Fair enough," Neville mused, shrugging. "But the offer still stands. If you want to talk about Tony, or anything really. I know we're not as close as you and Ron or anything, but—"

"Nev, of course we are," Harry insisted earnestly. "Yeah, I've been friends with Ron for longer, but you're just as much my friend as he is. And do you really think I could talk to him about this?" he added dryly, reminding the other Gryffindor how Ron seemed to be putting his foot in his mouth just about every time he spoke about either Tony or Harry's pregnancy. He wasn't exactly the most delicate of conversationalists, even if he had matured some.

Neville grinned up at him, placing a hand over Harry's briefly. "I'm glad you think so, Harry." He glanced at the clock, wincing. "You should get to bed, or Remus will have both our heads. You need your sleep; it's been a long day." Harry nodded, taking a sip of his tea and releasing Neville's shoulder, stepping away.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll see you in the morning, mate. And thanks again."

"You're welcome, Harry. G'night." Leaving Neville in the kitchen, Harry started upstairs, trying to imagine how things would go if he turned up in Malibu once the baby was born. Surely that could only end in disaster.

.-.-.

After much protesting on Harry's part, Ron and Hermione managed to convince him to go out Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley with them. "You've hardly left the house in months, mate!" Ron cajoled over breakfast. "People are gonna start to think you've died or something."

"There's a reason for that, Ron," Harry pointed out. "Or have you forgotten?" He gestured at his lower half, where the jeans he wore had a definite elasticated waist. He was finally into his maternity clothes, and he didn't know how muggle women coped; his were magically resizing, at least. They'd surely have to buy new clothes every other week!

"We can hide that," Ron assured, waving him off. "Can't we, 'Mione?"

"It's really not as big as you think it is, Harry," the witch assured him with a slight smile. "Put on a robe and a coat and no one will notice a thing. Besides, Remus was saying that Healer Thompson wanted you out and about as much as you could before the third trimester hits. Come on, it'll be fun! We've hardly spent time together just the three of us since the summer!" In the end, it was her pleading brown eyes that did it. And she was right; they hadn't really hung out just the three of them in a long while. Usually Neville, Luna and Ginny were around, or someone else in the extended Weasley brood. Even half the Order had been by to catch up.

So that was how he found himself bundled in a thick robe and winter coat, walking into Diagon Alley with Ron on one side and Hermione on the other. The alley was all decked out for Christmas, with fake snow falling and faeries dancing from roof to roof, hiding behind magical icicles. "Okay, where to first?" He'd ordered a lot of his presents for people through owl order, but there were still plenty more to buy.

"Why don't we start at the top and work our way down?" Hermione suggested, directing them towards the nearest shop; Quality Quidditch Supplies. Neither of the boys argued — it wasn't every day Hermione willingly went into a quidditch shop — and Harry mentally reviewed his shopping list as he wandered the shelves, trying not to think too hard about how long it would be before he could fly again. He still had to buy for most of the Weasleys, Neville, Kingsley and McGonagall. Everyone else he'd already covered, even if their presents hadn't arrived yet.

Wondering if there was a single piece of Chudley Cannons merchandise Ron didn't already own, he kept his head down when a group of people entered the shop, talking excitedly between themselves. Slipping further back and hoping he wasn't going to be seen, Harry waited patiently, resisting the urge to buy any of the quidditch-themed baby stuff while he watched Ron argue his case to Hermione for buying Charlie a joke practice snitch that would never let itself get caught. Thankfully they didn't spend long in there, heading into a shop selling all sorts of magical trinkets and devices. Harry managed to find presents for both Bill and Kingsley in there, and Ron's awkwardly unsubtle fumbling belied that he'd bought either Harry's or Hermione's present and was trying to hide it from them.

As they left, Harry suddenly understood why Hermione had urged them to start at the top of the alley and work down; Flourish and Blotts was their next stop. He shared an amused glance with Ron behind the brunette's back, neither of them surprised when she disappeared almost as soon as she entered the shop. Harry turned towards the fiction aisles, wondering if the next in any of the series' Ginny liked to read were out; even if there weren't any new ones, he could probably find something for her there. Ron not-so-surreptitiously tried to follow Hermione, clearly intending to have a look at what she picked up and buy one of them for her present. Nobody ever said Ron was good with gifts.

Eyes trailing over the rows of books as he walked, he grinned triumphantly at seeing there were two series' he knew Ginny read with new books out. He was usually the only person to ever buy her books, the rest of the family sticking to things like clothes and jewellery, so he grabbed them both, confident she wouldn't end up with doubles at Christmas. That sorted, he let his feet take him wherever, occasionally stopping to look closer at a book that caught his eye. He bumped into Hermione in the Transfiguration section, and she grinned at him. "Are those for Ginny?" she asked, gesturing to the books in his hand, and he nodded. "Good, she's been talking about them for ages. Harry, come here a minute." Not asking for permission, she grabbed him by the wrist and tugged him through the rows of shelves, eventually stopping in front of one. It was the pregnancy section; he recognised several of the books on display.

"Hermione," he hissed in alarm, glancing around to see if anyone was watching them. Unless he went for a male-specific pregnancy book, they'd probably assume that Hermione was expecting, but that was still news-worthy enough to end up in the Prophet. "Not in public!"

"Oh, hush, it's fine," she assured, smiling. "I know you've got most of these, but I was thinking you might look more at some of these ones." She gestured to the part of the section containing books not on pregnancy itself, but what to do after the baby was born. One titled '101 Necessary Spells for the New Parent' caught his eye, as well as one about child behavioural patterns and how to care for newborns safely. "If you get one or two, you'll be less likely to end up with Molly popping over every ten minutes." He grimaced, conceding the point.

"True. But I can hardly get them here," he pointed out, making a mental note to grab a new owl-order catalogue on his way out. "I'll owl-order some, I promise. I've got time, though; I'm not due for another four months or so." Hermione rolled her eyes, reaching for one of the books anyway and shoving it into his hands.

"Just say you're buying it for Fleur, if you get asked. Not that you will, mind, but if you're so bloody paranoid," she teased. He flushed, but tucked the book between Ginny's two, letting Hermione lead him to the checkout with her own stack of books. Ron was nowhere to be found, and Harry assumed he was waiting until the coast was clear to buy Hermione something. The witch knew her boyfriend well enough not to ask, and moved well away from the checkout desk once she'd paid. Harry tried not to look too shifty as he paid for the books, but the witch ringing up his purchases didn't even bat an eyelash at the books, smiling brightly at him.

"Merry Christmas, Mr Potter!" she chirped cheerily, handing over his bag.

"You too," he replied with a smile, used to random people addressing him by name. A hazard of being in the papers every other day, he supposed. Wandering out to find Hermione, the pair of them waited for Ron before moving on, Hermione on a mission to get through every shop and finish her Christmas shopping for good. Harry just let her drag him wherever, staying quiet about the ache in his back and thinking longingly of the sofa back at Grimmauld Place. Hopefully they wouldn't be out much longer.

.-.

The trio arrived back home just after four, laden down with shopping bags and dusted with fake snow. Harry immediately dropped his bags and shed his coat and robe after flooing into the living room, practically collapsing onto the sofa next to Remus with a long groan. The werewolf chuckled, reaching to run a hand through Harry's messy hair. "Long day, cub?" he asked sympathetically, smiling when Harry leaned into the touch.

"Everything aches," he whined, earning another fond chuckle.

"Oh, poor love. I'll go make some hot chocolate for you all, shall I?" The offer was met with enthusiasm, and Remus got up to go to the kitchen, his place at Harry's side almost immediately being taken by Luna, who rested her head against his bump, smiling.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner, mate? We would've come home earlier," Ron said, frowning in concern. Harry waved him off, toeing off his boots.

"It's fine, really. The shopping needed to be done, and I'd rather get it all over with in one day. I can stay in for the holidays now," he pointed out happily. Neville snorted from the armchair across the room, glancing up to grin at Harry.

"Like Healer Thompson would let you do that. Fresh air and all that," he reminded, making Harry groan. Healer Thompson could shove it, on this particular occasion.

Remus returned with hot chocolate for everyone, and Harry gratefully accepted the mug, cradling it in his hands. Luna left hers on the coffee table, staying close to the baby, and giggled suddenly at the same time Harry felt a short pain. "I think the little one wants to say hello," she declared happily. "It kicked me."

"You mean you could feel him?" Harry asked, surprised. He'd been getting kicks for month, but never enough for anyone but him to feel it. Luna nodded, and suddenly Harry's stomach was the most interesting thing in the room, each of his friends wanting to lay a hand on it in the hopes of feeling the baby. Harry met Remus' gaze over their heads to see his godfather smiling warmly, a paternal look in his eyes. Harry grinned back; though James Potter himself couldn't be there to be grandfather to his child, Remus Lupin was a bloody good alternative.

.-.-.-.

The combined screeching of about seventy flustered owls was what woke Harry the next morning, and he ignored his churning stomach to practically fling himself out of bed and down the stairs, still in his pyjama bottoms and no shirt. He froze in the kitchen doorway, staring wide-eyed at the chaos within. Despite the wards that were meant to keep unfamiliar owls out, the room was full of them, and the table was overflowing with letters as Remus, Luna and Neville tried to sort them out, ridding the birds of their burdens as quickly as they could in order to get the owls to leave. Some of them stuck around, apparently expecting a reply, and Harry snorted involuntarily as Remus physically picked up two of the loiterers and tossed them out of the window; which was broken, having had several owls slamming into it. That would have to be fixed soon.

"What the hell is this all about?" he called over the hooting and screeching, drawing Remus' attention. The man looked stricken, and Harry's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I really am. Hermione's flooed already; she feels awful about it. Here." Remus reached under a pile of letters for a rolled-up copy of the Prophet, and Harry knew what it was before he even looked at the headline.

_**'Boy-Who-Loved? Potter Pregnant, Father Unknown!'** _

There was a huge picture of him and Hermione in the pregnancy aisle of Flourish and Blotts, a book about newborns in one hand and the other resting on his stomach. Skimming the article, he went cold as he saw they had direct quotations rather than just speculation; he shouldn't have mentioned being due in four months. Reading further down, he snorted as they speculated on his baby's other father; everyone from Ron, to Remus, to Draco Malfoy. Any male that he'd been in contact with, and even several he hadn't, was a suspect according to the newspaper. Harry was partially glad that the real father was someone they'd never even think about accusing; most wizards didn't even know who Tony Stark was, and would think it impossible for him to be the father as a muggle. He sincerely doubted anyone would find any of the pictures of him from Malibu; most of them had been for online gossip sites instead of actual magazines.

"It's fine, Remus. They were bound to find out anyway, it might as well be now," he assured, tossing the paper onto the table, not wanting to read any more. There were plenty of different politely-phrased variations on the word 'slut' that he didn't care to read so early in the morning.

Giving his three housemates a hand in ridding the kitchen of the last of the owls, he grimaced at the mess in the room. With a wave of his hand, the letters stacked themselves neatly on the kitchen table, and the owl droppings and feathers scattering the room vanished. "Might as well get a start on those first, hmm?" he pointed out, gesturing to the much smaller stack of crimson-red envelopes. Passing them out, they opened all the Howlers at once, allowing them to drown each other out so as to obscure the words. Harry managed to make out enough, though; apparently he was a disgrace to the wizarding world for being so promiscuous as to get himself pregnant outside of marriage, and the fact that he had been with a man at all would have his parents rolling in their graves.

"You know that's not true, Harry," Remus murmured, coming to hug him around the shoulders. "Lily and James never had a problem with homosexuality. They would have loved you exactly the same, just as they did me." Harry nodded, accepting the kiss to his temple. He doubted whoever had sent the Howler had ever even met his parents; he was more inclined to believe Remus.

With the important ones out of the way, Remus put the kettle on and stuffed some bread in the toaster, while Harry, Neville and Luna sat down at the table, starting on the letters. Checking each one for curses and hexes before opening, they sorted them into two piles; supportive and unsupportive. It eventually turned into three piles; supportive, unsupportive and completely insane. Several of the letter writers seemed absolutely convinced that Harry was carrying their child, despite Harry having never even heard of any of them, and some of them being female.

"I can interview you for the Quibbler, if you'd like," Luna offered as she waved her wand over the envelope in her hand, wincing as it glowed an alarming red, incinerating it immediately. "To let you get your side of the story out before the rumours get too ridiculous. I can only imagine how many people will be writing in to the Prophet claiming to be the father." Harry grimaced at the prospect, nodding.

"Please do. I don't know what I'd say exactly, but the truth is better than whatever Rita Skeeter can churn out." At least if he said something about knowing exactly who the father was despite having no plans to contact him about it, there would hopefully be less people trying to get their five minutes of fame.

Smiling to himself as he read a letter from a woman who congratulated him wholeheartedly on his pregnancy, and assured him that single parents all over the wizarding world were on his side, he ignored how large the 'unsupportive' pile was growing. Remus sat down to read and then burn them all before Harry could get to them, occasionally setting one aside. "What are those for?" Neville asked, gesturing to the small stack at the werewolf's elbow.

"Death threat letters," Remus replied with a frown. "I figured we could send them off with Dora and Kingsley, see if they can't scare some silence into people. Everyone seems to forget that tracking spells exist, y'know." Harry's eyes went wide at the amount of letters containing death threats; and that was only the ones they'd sorted through so far! Owls were still arriving, but in fewer numbers than the first rush, and just dropped their letters on the table before leaving. Part of Harry wanted to strengthen the anti-owls ward, but knew it would only result in a flock of owls camping outside for all the muggles to see. He really had to set up some sort of redirecting ward; the last time he'd had to deal with this, he'd been at Hogwarts, and any post-floods had gone to the house elves to be sorted before getting delivered to him.

"Ask them about redirecting my mail when you do, would you?" he requested, figuring as aurors they would probably know who to go to about that.

"You'd be better off asking Bill," Neville piped up. "Gringotts has a whole section on home security, I'm pretty sure post issues come under that." Harry hummed thoughtfully, rolling his eyes as another Howler was deposited in front of him by a snobbish-looking eagle owl. Wonderful.

"Ah well. Look on the bright side," he mused, vanishing the letter before it could start shouting. "At least now I can shop for baby stuff in public. I hardly have anything!" The bedroom next to his had been set aside as a nursery, but Luna was busy painting it, and he barely had any furniture or clothes or anything else one might need when having a baby. Now that his secret was out, he could be less careful about it; he had a _lot_ of shopping to do.

.-.-.-.

At last, Christmas crept up on them in the only way it could; loudly, and with the force of an entire herd of hippogriffs. Harry felt like he should have had at least an extra week, but regardless he found himself in his living room on Christmas Eve with more people crammed into the room than would necessarily fit without magic. Apparently some memo had gone round that Grimmauld was the place to be at Christmas; half the Order had turned up with the Weasleys, as well as a half dozen people Harry had gone to school with. They all had nothing but well-wishes for him about the baby, but Harry was relieved to know that only the Weasleys and a few Order members seemed to know anything about Tony.

Accepting a cup of sparkling apple juice from Luna, Harry shifted over in his seat to let her sit beside him. He was in just a shirt and jeans, his ever-increasing bump on proud display to the people he considered family. Despite some teasing from his old Gryffindor roommates about how it was just like him to get pregnant from his first relationship, they were all in good spirits and enjoying the festive cheer. Harry couldn't help but be happy with them; after a childhood full of lonely Christmases, he was still amazed at how incredible the holiday could be when you had people you cared about to share it with.

"Where's Neville?" he asked the blonde quietly, smiling as Charlie dipped Tonks theatrically under the mistletoe, her hair turning bright pink as they kissed.

"In the kitchen with Seamus and Dean," she replied. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Just a bit overwhelmed with all these people around," he admitted, then paused, wincing. "Actually, I take that back. Baby has decided to dance on my bladder, I'll be back in a bit." He leaned on her shoulder a little to help himself up, slipping past a few people to get to the hallway. Instead of heading for the nearest bathroom, he made his way upstairs to his bedroom, taking the opportunity to get a little peace for five minutes. Shutting the door behind him to block out the noise from downstairs, he ducked into the bathroom to relieve himself, staring into the mirror as he washed his hands. His face was flushed and his hair messier than usual, but he couldn't shake the grin on his face. It was nice, having everyone around in a positive capacity; the last time he'd seen everyone in the same place had been for the memorial service after the war.

Stepping back into his bedroom, he perched on the end of his bed and sighed in relief as the ache in his back lessened slightly. Lifting up his shirt, his smile widened as he rested a hand on the curve of his belly. "Next Christmas you'll be with us, won't you pup?" he mused softly. "We can see how much you've grown since then." He hadn't been able to escape the cameras, with anyone who had ever had a child or a pregnant friend insisting that he'd want photos of him with the bump later on down the line. Luna loved taking pictures of him when he was unaware; she was probably rivalling Colin Creevey on number of candids of Harry.

Checking his watch, he mentally calculated what time it was in California. It wasn't too late, or too early… he could call Tony. Sure, he hadn't spoken to him in a while, but it was Christmas. Reaching into the dresser drawer for his phone, he dialled the number before he could talk himself out of it, holding the device to his ear. He forgot to breathe as it rang, opening his mouth at the end of the tone only to deflate as the answerphone message began to play through. " _Hi, you've reached Tony Stark's personal phone. Leave a message and I'll maybe eventually get back to you, but you're probably better off calling Pepper instead._ " Smiling slightly, Harry did as asked, hanging up to dial Pepper's number.

"Hello?" He faltered at her voice, and it took him a couple of moments to respond.

"Hi, Pepper. It's Evan," he greeted somewhat awkwardly, well aware that he hadn't even spoken to the woman since August. "I just tried to call Tony but it went to voicemail. Is he in a meeting, or…?"

"Oh, hi," she replied, sounding surprised to hear from him. "No, he's at a charity gala right now. I can get him to call you back tomorrow if you like?"

"No, no, it's fine," he assured quickly; he was getting his scan to find out the gender tomorrow, and he'd be emotional enough without a call from Tony. "Just… tell him I called. And tell him Merry Christmas from me, yeah?"

"Sure thing, Evan. And hey, it's good to hear from you. Things have been quiet since you left," she added, making him smile wistfully.

"I wish I could say the same about here. Medical school is hell," he lied easily. "I've missed Malibu like crazy." At least that part was true.

"Well it doesn't take much to book a flight here," Pepper started, but Harry cut her off with a sigh.

"I can't. I have too much to do, and… I've seen the news, Pepper. You can't tell me Tony hasn't started moving on. Hell, I've not spoken to him in two months almost. I'd rather stay here and be a good memory than try and go back and have him get bored of me." As much as he liked to think it wouldn't happen, he knew better.

"If you're sure. But I think you're underestimating him. Anyway, I'm sorry Evan, but I have to go. I'll tell Tony you called."

"Sure, Pepper. It was nice talking to you, and Merry Christmas," he said sincerely.

"Likewise, Evan. Merry Christmas." With that she hung up, and Harry let the phone go slack in his hand, belatedly remembering to set it back in the dresser drawer. He sighed to himself, knowing he should get back to his own party before someone came looking for him.

"I wish you could know your Papa, little one," he murmured down at his stomach, his smile dropping. "He'd love you so, so much. I'm sorry you'll never meet him, really, I am." He felt most guilty about keeping Tony's son from him, but the man no doubt had people claiming he was the father of their child every other week. The fact that Harry was male hardly made a difference, and the last thing he wanted was to force Tony into a relationship for the sake of their child. That would be worse than not having him at all.

Running a hand through his hair, he squared his shoulders and plastered a smile on his face, turning to face the door. What was done was done; he couldn't allow himself to have regrets now.

.-.-.-.

Unlike in previous years, the highlight of Harry's Christmas wasn't the presents, nor the people. It was waiting for him in Healer Thompson's office when he and Remus arrived that afternoon, the man greeting them with a Santa hat on his head that clashed horribly with his lime green Healer's robe. "Are we ready to find out what you're carrying, then?" he asked with a grin, and Harry's lips twitched.

"I should hope it's a baby, but if you want to check…" The Healer rolled his eyes in amusement.

"Oh, enough of that, or I'll leave you hanging another three weeks. You're my only appointment today, and I promised I'd take the kids out to play in the snow this evening." Harry's smile turned apologetic; of course, the man had come in on Christmas Day especially for him.

"I'll be quick, then. And I really do appreciate you doing this for me," he added, only to be waved off. Having had several appointments by now, Harry had dressed appropriately, so he didn't have to bother changing into scrubs before hopping up onto the bed, lifting up his t-shirt and easing down the waistband of his maternity trousers.

"It's not a problem, I'm happy to help. And best you come in now while it's quiet around here; I have to say, the Prophet's hardly been kind to you. We've had a few reporters snooping around here for your records, but security got to them before any harm was done. They don't even know who your assigned Healer is, let alone any details about you or the baby," he assured at Harry's mild look of alarm. "Don't worry, Harry. You're not the first high-profile patient we've had here, and you won't be the last. They won't be getting anything from anyone around here."

"Thank you," Harry murmured emphatically shuddering at the feel of the unfamiliar magic hitting his stomach, the monochrome image coming up on the magical screen. It moved in time with the heartbeat sounding thanks to the spell, and Harry squeezed Remus' hand. "Merlin, it's so big!" he breathed, awed. "I mean, I know I've been getting bigger, but… wow."

"Your little one seems to be progressing wonderfully," Thompson declared with a smile. "Now how about we take a closer look, hmm?" He craned his neck to peer closer at the screen, and a slow smile crept across his face. "Tell me, Harry; you said you had a feeling about the gender. What was your suspicion?"

"Well, I've, uh, been calling it a him for a while now. It just feels right, y'know?" Harry said sheepishly, watching the Healer's grin widen.

"Looks like that famed Potter intuition is still in tact, then. Congratulations, you're having a very healthy little boy." Harry's eyes went wide, and he felt Remus' grip on his hand tighten.

"A boy? He's really a boy?" he breathed, and Thompson nodded, leaning over to point at the screen with his wand.

"He is indeed; look right there. They may be a little fuzzy in the picture, but those are definitely male genitals. He's turned just the right way and everything; looks like your son wants you to know he's a son," he joked, grinning. "I'll have some pictures printed for you to give to the family, and I promise you no journalists will find out anything from us." Harry grinned at him, pulling his t-shirt back down after the Healer had printed the photos and closed the screen down.

"Brilliant, thank you. Merlin, this is the _best_ Christmas present," he gushed, beaming as he turned to Remus. "Moony, I'm having a son! The puppy is a boy!" Remus chuckled, leaning in to kiss his temple.

"Congratulations, cub. I'm sure he'll be every bit the little hellion you were," he teased lightly. "Come on, we should get going. Healer Thompson has a family to get back to, and I don't doubt Molly is baking herself into a frenzy while she waits for the good news." Harry laughed, nodding, and accepted his jumped back from the man, shrugging into it as he hopped off the bed.

"Merry Christmas, Healer. Thanks again for coming in today," he added, shaking the man's hand. The blonde smiled at him, packing away his things and passing over a stack of photos, all with 'Baby Potter, Male' printed neatly in the corner.

"You're very much welcome. I'll see you in a few weeks, and I hope the rest of your holiday is peaceful," he replied cheerfully. Saying their goodbyes, Harry and Remus flooed back to Grimmauld, only to be ambushed at the other end by an eager Molly Weasley, her apron still on and her cheek smudged with flour.

"Well? Go on, dear, we're all dying to know!" she urged, gesturing to the other occupants of the living room, who were failing at trying not to look too interested.

"It's a boy," Harry announced with a huge grin, holding up the photo for proof. "I'm having a son." Several cheers went up, and he spotted money changing hands where the twins were sitting before he was pulled into a tight hug by the Weasley matriarch, the woman babbling in his ear a mile a minute about all the things he'd have to learn about raising baby boys. Harry hoped it wouldn't be as bad as she seemed to think it was; he wasn't raising a Weasley. Then again, he _was_ raising a Stark. "I'll be right back," he said with a smile as he eased out of the hug. "I had to have a full bladder for the scan so I _really_ need the loo, and I want to change into something a little warmer."

"Of course, of course. I'll start plating up the biscuits; I hope you don't mind me using the kitchen, Harry dear, I just got so nervous waiting," she added, making him chuckle.

"It's fine, Molly, honest. If you could put the kettle on too, that'd be brilliant." Ducking out of the room amidst all the congratulations, he hurried upstairs and into his room, pausing in his tracks when he saw his phone on the dresser, a light flashing in the corner indicating he had a new message. Heart lodged in his throat, he crossed the room to pick it up, opening the text; it was from Tony, of course.

' _Merry Christmas, gorgeous. Hope the New Year's good for you xx_ ' He stared at the text for a long while, swallowing convulsively and resolutely not pressing the 'call sender' button. If he called Tony right after finding out they were having a son together — the Stark heir, if he thought about it — he would definitely cry, and he would almost definitely let slip to the American. Eventually, he gathered his senses enough to take a deep breath and close the message. He could reply later maybe, or call Tony in a couple of days when his emotions had settled a little. Though by the New Year's wish, it sounded like the older man wasn't planning to talk to him until after January first. He could wait, he supposed. See if Tony would talk to him without the prompt of Harry calling first, or if he'd just forget. Harry wasn't entirely sure he wanted to find that out.

Heading for the bathroom as the pressure in his bladder became too much to ignore, he looked down at his five month pregnant belly, now too large to be mistaken for anything but the growth of a child. He would not let his separation from Tony ruin his Christmas, or any other part of his life. He was a big boy now, he could deal with it.


	12. Chapter 12

By mid-March, Harry was so pregnant he couldn't see his feet while standing up, and Luna had entrusted Remus with the task of taking photographs as that belly grew. Harry was just glad she hadn't done anything really ridiculous like insist he measure every day, or make a plaster cast of it. Photos he could deal with.

With only a month and a half to go at the very most, preparation for the baby was well and truly underway. The nursery had been finished before Hogwarts started back, as his Christmas present from Luna, and it was beautiful. She'd painted forest scenery on the walls, the trees crawling with all sorts of magical creatures, including several that only Luna seemed to know about. Harry was a little bit jealous of his unborn son's new bedroom, and he knew Remus spent the pre-moon days sitting in there meditating. Maybe when the baby was older and moving into a proper bedroom, they'd keep the forest room the same for meditation, both for him and Remus. After the debacle that was Occlumency training, Harry had learned that some meditation every now and then helped him keep his magic and his Occlumency shields in check, as well as cooled his hotheadedness dramatically. Though he liked to think that the last one was just a side-effect of him growing up.

Packages were arriving almost every day for him with various baby paraphernalia; most that he'd bought himself, but a fair few were from friends. Now that he'd had a warding team come and sort out a mail redirecting ward, he felt safe to open anything that made it to him at Grimmauld; everything was from people he trusted. Still, even with the multitude of furniture and toys and clothes he'd been buying, he had what felt like a thousand more things to buy. Fleur was immeasurably helpful; with Victoire now almost eight months old, she had a wealth of experience that was far more recent than Molly Weasley's. Harry had spent several days with the Frenchwoman pouring over lists of items, checking with her whether they were actually necessary, and finding out which he wouldn't be able to live without.

Every single day his due date drew closer, and every single day Harry battled a brand new case of nervous excitement. He was both petrified and thrilled that he would soon have his baby boy in his arms instead of in his womb, though he had no idea how he'd react when it actually became reality. At least he had plenty of people around to help him when he needed it; even if his friends at Hogwarts would be there for a whole two months after his baby was born, he still had Remus and the rest of the Weasleys, as well as the Order. The old saying about it taking a village to raise a child was definitely applicable in his situation.

He smiled to himself as he and Remus walked through the quiet park together, his stomach disguised by a baggy jumper and some strategic glamour magic. He couldn't use any of the heavy-duty charms, but light ones to make the weight look a little more spread out were okay. Any muggle passing would think him overweight, but it was better than the alternative of them seeing a pregnant man. "How are you feeling, cub?" Remus asked, shoulder bumping with Harry's as they walked. "Better now you're a bit more prepared?"

"Much," Harry agreed, smiling slightly. "But there's still so much more to get! I had no idea babies needed so much stuff."

"Harry, you've already bought half the catalogue!" Remus pointed out with a chuckle, making his godson turn red. "Don't worry, Lily did the exact same thing. You're nesting, it's perfectly normal."

"I'm not a bird, Moons," the teenager grumbled, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"No, you're not, but you are an expecting father. You want everything to be perfect and ready for when your son arrives; there's nothing wrong with that." Harry couldn't help but grin, leaning into Remus' side.

"I can't believe it's only a few more weeks. Everything has gone so fast!" he mused. "Can you imagine? By the end of next month, the baby will be here."

"And the chaos will begin," Remus retorted, grinning. "It's going to be brilliant, cub. Come on, why don't we get back? I'm sure you're starting to get hungry."

"There is no 'starting to', Rem, I'm always hungry these days," Harry admitted ruefully. "It's going to be murder trying to get back into shape afterwards." His rock-solid abs that Tony had loved were long gone now, but Harry hoped he would be able to get them back eventually. He was quite proud of them.

"Oh, you're still in decent shape, stop complaining," the sandy-haired man teased. "You've not got any Death Eaters to fight, you can afford to lose a bit of muscle definition." Harry merely shrugged, turning down the street that would lead back home. His back was beginning to ache, and he was in desperate need of a cup of tea and something to eat. He stepped up to the door of Grimmauld place, sending out a burst of magic to get the wards before unlocking it manually, pushing it open.

"SURPRISE!" His hands were glowing with magic before he could blink, and his eyes went wide as he saw the crowd gathered in his hallway, letting the magic fade. All his friends and family were huddled in the room and trailing up the stairs, looking equal parts amused, wary and apologetic at his reaction.

"Bloody hell, I could've killed the lot of you!" Harry exclaimed, and Ron shrugged.

"We figured you'd notice before you sent any spells," he reasoned, unrepentant. "And you did. So surprise, mate! It's your baby shower." Only then did Harry notice the decorations, a large 'it's a boy!' banner hanging on the wall, and streamers floating on their own in the air above them.

"Oh, you guys," he breathed, embarrassed to find himself welling up a little. "You shouldn't have!"

"We wanted to, Harry," Hermione insisted. "It's not every day you have a baby, is it?"

"Better bloody not be," Bill remarked, earning an elbow to the ribs from his wife as Harry laughed.

"Thank you all, so much. Oh, this is fantastic," the teen murmured, Remus squeezing his shoulders.

"You've not even seen it yet! Come on, presents are in the living room, and we've already put the kettle on," Ron told him, reaching to place a hand on Harry's back and direct him into the living room, laughing when his friend grabbed him in a hug first.

The living room was decorated just as much as the hallway, and there was an enormous stack of presents in the corner of the room, all wrapped in bright paper and just about every shape and size he could imagine. Surely if there was anything he was currently lacking in preparation for the baby, he wouldn't be by the time he'd finished opening those. Ron directed him onto the sofa and pulled his shoes off, while Neville set a cup of tea in his hands, grinning. "I'm not an invalid!" he grumbled, earning several chuckles.

"No, but you won't be pregnant much longer, so let us do this while we can," Neville argued playfully. There was a flash, and Harry blinked, seeing Luna with her camera out. Of course she wouldn't have missed a photo opportunity. "What are you all doing here, anyway? Should you be at school?"

"We got the day off from Headmaster Dumbledore," Hermione explained with a smile.

"The Headmaster wished to attend, but there was too much going on at the school for him to step away. He sends his regards, however, Mr Potter," McGonagall piped up from the edge of the room, giving him a smile. "And he sent a gift."

"Give him my thanks when you go back, would you?" he requested of his old teacher, who nodded in assurance. Harry sipped at his tea, relaxing back into the comfortable sofa as Hermione and Ginny started passing his presents towards him, excitedly urging him to open them. He smiled to himself, looking around at the assembled people, all of whom had come just to celebrate him having a child. He had the best family.

.-.-.

Harry didn't understand how Molly Weasley could have gone through pregnancy six times. He wasn't even finished with the first, and he was practically begging for it to be over. Everything ached all the time, he was going to the toilet about twenty times a day, and he absolutely could not get comfortable in any position whatsoever. The bump was huge, making him briefly worry that he was actually carrying twins, but Healer Thompson assured him there was only one in there. Apparently, his size was normal for male pregnancies.

It didn't help that he was incredibly lonely, with all his friends busy at Hogwarts preparing for exams, Charlie back in Romania to cover for a colleague on injury leave, and Bill busy with Gringotts work and the baby. The twins were working overtime every day in the pre-exam hype, selling puking pastilles and all sorts of tricks to get students all over the world out of exams they didn't want to take. All Harry had for company was Remus, and the poor man was trying his best but even he got sick of Harry's grumbling and needed to spend time alone for a while. Harry didn't blame him in the slightest; even if the moon hadn't been barely a few days away, he probably would have gotten fed up too. He knew he wasn't the best company, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

On top of that, he hadn't heard from Tony since the text at Christmas. It was the middle of April, three and a half months since, and Harry hadn't had so much as a phone call. It hurt more than anything, especially as he came closer and closer to finally actually being able to hold his and Tony's child in his arms, but there wasn't much he could do about it, and it was for the best. He'd been keeping updated on Tony's life through TV and the internet, and the older man was definitely back to his habits of being with a different man or woman every night. Stark Industries was thriving after a recent deal with the US Army, and Tony seemed perfectly happy with his life; none the worse for not having Harry in it. Why would he be suffering the absence? He didn't have any reason to even _remember_ Harry, let alone miss him. Not like Harry did.

Sighing to himself, Harry pushed the subject from his mind, shifting on the bed to make himself more comfortable. Healer Thompson would be arriving soon. He was too big to go to St Mungo's — getting out of bed was a chore enough for him — so the Healer had agreed to make a house call instead. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Harry propped himself up on the mound of pillows in his bed, smiling as the familiar blonde-haired man walked in. "Afternoon, Harry," he greeted cheerfully. "How are you two doing?"

"He seems to be doing fine, I'm just ready to get him out," Harry complained lightly, making the man chuckle.

"That's perfectly normal," Thompson assured, perching on the edge of the bed and lifting Harry's t-shirt up, running his wand over the bump. "Now, this should be the last time I see you before the big day, so I just wanted to make sure you're comfortable with what will happen."

"When I go into labour, I'll tell Remus, he'll floo the hospital, someone will come get me and take me back, you'll turn up to give me a caesarian, and I should have my baby, hopefully without any problems. Does that cover it?" Harry ticked off each on his fingers, making the Healer smile.

"Just about, yes. Of course, we're prepared for any… mishaps — even the obscure ones, you _are_ Harry Potter — but the most important thing is to get you to hospital as quickly as possible. Once you're with us, everything will be much easier. You haven't been having any more pain than usual, have you?"

"I've been getting a bit of pain in my hips," Harry admitted. "But it's sort-of a pulling pain, not a stabbing or anything." Thompson frowned, looking at the readings from his spell.

"Yes, that's a common problem in male pregnancies. The male hips aren't designed to carry so much concentrated weight, it can often put strain on the muscles. I'm afraid you've reached the point of bedrest, Harry. I know you wanted to avoid it for as long as possible, but I really don't think we can hold out much longer. And look at it this way; it's only for a couple of weeks. If you've not gone into labour by the 1st, we'll induce you." Harry sighed at the man's words, biting his lip. He dreaded the thought of being forced to stay in bed, but knew it was for the best.

"Fine," he relented, sounding a little petulant. He glanced down at his protruding belly, glaring. "You'd better hurry up, kid; I don't know how much of this I can take." Both Healer Thompson and Remus laughed, and the werewolf squeezed his shoulder.

"It'll be fine, cub. You can get some of the paperwork done for the goblins, and catch up on your reading for the medical course," he pointed out optimistically, but that just made Harry groan louder, and Thompson snicker.

"Ah, yes, the first year reading material; I remember it well. Still, at least I had practical lessons to break up the monotony. I admire your dedication in keeping up with it, Harry," he complimented.

"I don't know if I will much longer, it's driving me crazy. I love learning medi-magic, but do I really need to know the origin of all the spells and potions used in medi-magic?" Thompson laughed, patting his calf sympathetically.

"Well, if you do decide to pack it in, you could always learn medi-magic independently once the little one is a bit older. There's enough books on the subject, and I'm sure Poppy will be willing to help you out," he reasoned. Harry hummed, filing the thought away for consideration after his son was born. "Either way, everything looks in order here. Now it's just waiting for him to decide he's ready to say hello to the world." Harry tugged his t-shirt down, smiling at the Healer.

"I suppose I'll see you when the time comes, then. Hopefully sooner rather than later," he added, making a face.

"I'll show you out," Remus offered, squeezing Harry's shoulder one more time before moving to lead the Healer from the room, leaving Harry alone. Harry sighed to himself, summoning a huge stack of PotterCo proposals, each about an upcoming business that was magic-free enough to make a decent living in the muggle world as well as the wizarding one. Harry would have to talk to a lawyer about the intricacies of selling magic-produced products to muggles, and figure out how to get the business accolade to transfer over without actually revealing the true nature of the business, but… it was a puzzle he was quite happy solving. He could feel it in his gut; one day, PotterCo would be huge. Not just for businesses wanting to work in both worlds, but to muggle and wizarding businesses alike who just wanted a boost. Even if he had to pull on the 'Harry Potter' fame to do so, he would make it work.

.-.-.

Lying in bed with the TV on to some terrible late-night soap-opera that Harry would never admit to being addicted to, Harry flicked through pages and pages of PotterCo work. He'd been on bedrest for nearly two weeks, and had hated every second of it. The only upside was the amount of work he'd gotten done, owls flying back and forth to the goblins every day. He was sure that once he was back on his feet he'd be able to start putting things into practice, and they had some businesses lined up to take funding in exchange for carrying the PotterCo brand name and giving a percentage of their profits. He'd decided to start broad, choosing businesses from all walks of industry and figuring he'd see which ones worked best. None of them had hesitated at taking the offer; just to have the word 'Potter' on their business' sign was worth its weight in gold.

Grimacing as his son gave a particularly hard kick, Harry shifted a little, trying to get comfortable with his paperwork hovering on a tray above his belly. There was another kick, so forceful his hand slipped and he smeared ink across the page. "Quiet down, would you? You're not letting me sleep, the least you could do is let me work," he murmured, patting his bump. Picking up his pen — they were so much easier than quills — he dropped it again as another pain shot through him, and he felt a gushing sensation from his groin area, feeling it soak through his boxers. "Oh, fuck," he breathed, eyes going wide and face draining of colour. "Remus!" he yelled, sending a burst of magic chasing towards his godfather's room to trip the ward they'd set up for that very circumstance. "Remus, it's happening! The baby's coming!"

He heard a thump that was probably Remus falling out of bed, but couldn't even laugh at the mental image, panic rising within him. Levitating the paperwork over to his desk to keep it safe, he threw back his duvet and stared in dawning horror at the growing wet patch beneath him. Yes, it was safe to say his waters had broken. The door burst open and Remus stumbled into the room, a dressing gown open over his pyjamas, obviously having been fast asleep. "Harry!" he exclaimed, rushing to the teen's side. "Are you okay? Does it hurt? You're not bleeding anywhere are you?"

"I'm fine," Harry insisted, squeezing the man's hand. "Yes, it hurts, I'm bloody having contractions! But I'm not bleeding anywhere, everything is fine. You need to get dressed, floo St Mungo's, grab my bag and send a patronus to Molly, alright?" Remus nodded, still looking dazed, his hair sticking up every which way.

"Right. Clothes, Mungo's, bag, Molly. Got it." He leaned in to kiss Harry's forehead, before rushing back out of the room, tripping on the trailing tie of his dressing gown. A slightly hysterical giggle escaped Harry's throat, and he rested a hand on his bump, grimacing as another contraction took him. "Looks like you're ready to finally come out, huh?" he murmured, a grin crossing his lips. He was mere hours away from having his son out of his womb and in his arms; he couldn't wait.

Within fifteen minutes, Harry was on a levitating stretcher being directed downstairs to the main fireplace, a St Mungo's paramedic rapidly scanning him with spells. Remus was with him, dressed and more alert — though his jumper was on backwards and he still hadn't brushed his hair — and had Harry's hospital bag over his shoulder. "Here we go, Mr Potter," the paramedic declared, reaching for floo powder. "Just hold on tight and stay calm."

Harry kept his eyes shut for the floo journey, opening them again when he was in the lobby of the St Mungo's maternity ward. There were hardly any other people about, and Harry was somewhat glad his son had decided to come at such an awkward time; trying to get to a room in the middle of the day would have been a nightmare, there would have been journalists everywhere. At least he'd probably be able to have his son and get some sleep before having to face the Prophet. "Everything is going to be fine, Harry. They're just getting Healer Thompson in as we speak," Remus soothed, running a hand through Harry's hair.

"I'm okay, Moons. It hurts, but I'm okay." Healers were still fussing over him, but he'd been moved to an actual portable bed instead of a stretcher, which was something. The door burst open, and Harry felt relief wash over him as Healer Thompson entered the room, dressed for surgery, a white paper gown over his ordinary clothes and no lime green robe in sight.

"Evening, Harry," he greeted, smiling and looking completely calm. "Are you ready to have a baby?"

"From what we planned, you'll be doing all the hard work," Harry pointed out with a soft chuckle, making the Healer grin.

"Yes, there is that. We want to get him out as quickly as possible now that your waters have broken, or there could be issues, so just take this sleeping potion and the next time you wake up, you'll have your baby boy. Okay?" A nurse appeared with a vial of potion, and Harry opened his mouth obediently, allowing her to pour it down his throat. It tasted vaguely minty, and not nearly as bad as some of the sleeping draughts he'd taken in the past. As his eyelids grew heavy, he was vaguely aware of Remus speaking and people rushing around him to remove his clothing, but he ignored it all, drifting off into blissful unconsciousness.

.-.-.

Harry's brain sputtered slowly into gear, and he lay in his bed with a fuzzy quality to his thoughts, unable to open his eyes. His mouth felt slightly tingly, as if he'd swallowed something odd, and his stomach was sore, the muscles protesting. Trying to sharpen his mind until he was aware enough to crack an eye open, he eventually succeeded, staring up at the blindingly white ceiling above him. Was he in the hospital wing? What had he done now?

Several seconds later, the events of the night before came rushing back to him, and he let out a low groan, craning his neck to stare at his astonishingly flat stomach covered by the hospital blankets. He wasn't pregnant anymore. He blinked back into focus, hating how his brain felt like it was made of cotton wool. "Moony?" he rasped, knowing the werewolf would be around somewhere. "Moons, where are you?" There was a snuffle, then the scrape of a chair, before Harry felt a hand gripping his.

"Harry, you're awake! How are you feeling, love?"

"Fuzzy," Harry declared with a frown. "And my stomach is sore. Where's my baby? Is he okay?" He turned to look at the older man, who beamed at him.

"He's just fine, Harry. He's more than fine; he's so beautiful. Hang on a minute, I'll call a Healer and help you sit up." He reached over to ring a little bell resting on the side table, then helped Harry shuffle up the bed until he was in a sitting position. The more he moved, the clearer his mind became, and he looked over at the door when it opened quietly, Healer Thompson slipping inside.

"Good, I was hoping you'd wake up soon. How are you?" The Healer immediately checked Harry over with a spell, and Harry smiled at the man, rubbing at his dry eyes.

"Fine, just tired. Did everything go okay?" Thompson nodded, looking pleased.

"Textbook surgery, no problems whatsoever. And I'm sure you'd like to see the little one, hmm?" Harry nodded frantically, making the man chuckle. "He's right over here, look." He directed Harry's attention to a small cot by the wall of the room, and Harry's breath caught in his throat even though he couldn't see anything. Right across the room from him was his baby boy.

"I told Molly and the others, but she said they'd give you tonight and come visit at a better time. It's three in the morning, cub," Remus supplied. Harry nodded distractedly, eyes fixed on Healer Thompson as he reached into the cot, pulling out a bundle of pale green blankets with a huge grin on his face.

"May I present to you, Mr Potter, your son and heir. Seven pounds nine ounces, ten fingers and ten toes, born at 1:04am on April 28th. Fit as a fiddle, he is, and his magic is registering already. We worried over nothing, Harry." Harry felt tension he hadn't known he was carrying leave him; he'd worried that, with a muggle as the other father, his son would be born a squib. Not that it would have made a difference, but… it was nice to know. "Here you go, support his head now." Harry gasped as the form was gently lowered into his arms, staring down at the sleeping face wrapped in the blankets. He was gorgeous. Pink and chubby-cheeked, with a tuft of black hair on the crown of his head.

"Oh, look at him," he breathed, awed. "He's perfect." Not wanting to wake his son, he resisted the urge to run a finger over his smooth cheek.

"His eyes are blue, obviously," Remus murmured, perched on the edge of the bed so Harry could lean into him. "But I bet they'll go green before long. You were scrawnier as a baby, so… maybe he'll look more like Tony. But that hair will definitely be Potter hair. Yours looked exactly the same, and so did James' from the photos I've seen. Well done, Harry; he's brilliant." Harry felt a lump in his throat rise at the prospect of his son looking more like Tony. Both a curse and a blessing; a constant reminder of the love he had, and how he could never have it again.

"Have you thought of a name, or would you like a little more time?" Thompson asked quietly, and Harry smiled, still staring down at his son.

"Lucas," he declared, finally voicing aloud the name he'd decided on months ago but kept to himself. "Lucas Anthony James Potter." He looked up at Remus, who grinned, hugging him around the shoulders.

"A perfect name for a perfect little boy," he agreed, making Harry beam.

"Lucas it is," Healer Thompson said with a smile. "I'll bring the birth certificate round for you to sign in the morning. How about you get some sleep, hmm? You must be knackered."

"I am," Harry agreed with a slight chuckle. "But I don't think I can stop staring at him."

"He'll be right there when you wake up again, I promise," the Healer assured him, and Remus kissed Harry's temple.

"I'll stay and watch him," he told the teen. "Molly and Arthur will be here as soon as visiting hours start, they can take over."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, but Remus waved him off, smiling.

"It's fine, honest. Nothing will happen to him while you're sleeping."

"Thanks, Moony. Love you," Harry murmured, looking back down at his son. "Sleep tight, little one. You can meet me properly in the morning." Kissing his fingers and pressing them gently to the baby's forehead, he allowed Healer Thompson to take Lucas back to his cot, Remus helping Harry shuffle back into lying down. "Oh, Merlin, it feels nice not to have that bloody bump," he remarked, making the other two men laugh.

"Sleep well, cub. I love you," Remus said, leaning down to kiss his cheek. Harry smiled at him, eyes already fluttering shut, and within seconds he was fast asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Harry was in St Mungo's for two days before he was allowed to take Lucas home. Despite having used magic to heal the caesarian wound, his body still needed time to adjust to no longer carrying a baby. He therefore had to experience the extreme discomfort of his abdominal muscles shrinking and readjusting themselves in order for his magic to remove the womb it had created, until it was needed again. He didn't mind, really; it gave him two days in which to stare at his beautiful baby boy without the disturbance of family or Gringotts' owls or the Prophet. He'd given Luna a statement to publish in the Quibbler, telling them the name and gender of his child and assuring that everything was fine, but past that he didn't really think any of it was their business.

Still, he was glad to go home when Healer Thompson discharged him, even if it was on restricted movement. He didn't feel up to any vigorous movement anyway. Harry grinned to himself as he walked into the nursery for the first time with Lucas in his arms, the baby wide-eyed as he looked around. Barely two days old and he was already a curious little sod. "This is your new room, Luke. Much better than that boring old hospital room, isn't it?" he mused, smiling as he sat in the armchair beside the cot with his son in his arms. "Of course, you won't be sleeping in here for a while yet. You're in with me first, pup."

"Pup?" He glanced up at the voice, smiling sheepishly at Remus.

"It's what Sirius used to call me," Harry admitted. "And, well, I called him puppy when he was still in me." Remus grinned, slipping into the room to stand by Harry's side, peering down at Lucas, who was staring intensely back up at him.

"It suits him. He's all small and confused like a puppy," he joked, making Harry snort, glaring lightly at his pseudo-uncle.

"You'd be confused too if you were in his place! Leave my baby boy alone," he retorted playfully. "I should probably put him down for a nap, don't you think?" Lucas' eyelids were starting to droop, and Remus nodded, running a hand through Harry's hair.

"I don't think he's the only one. I'll take the next feed, cub, you just get some rest. Let's get him settled in his new bed, yeah?" Harry nodded, easing himself to his feet with Lucas safely in his arms. Leaving the pristine nursery, he and Remus went next door to where the bassinet was set up beside Harry's bed, along with a small mountain of the baby necessities piled on the dresser. Gently bouncing his son in his arms as the baby drew closer and closer to sleep, Harry eased him down onto the bassinet, settling him down and securing the blankets around him. He couldn't help but grin as Lucas yawned widely, eyes closed, and fell asleep within seconds. "You're going to have to stop staring at him if you want to get some sleep, Harry," Remus pointed out lightly, making the teen snort softly.

"I know, but it's easier said than done." He was still in a state of shock, that something so perfect had come out of him. He was a parent. Sighing to himself, he reluctantly turned away from his sleeping son, grabbing his pyjamas off the bed. Remus placed a monitoring charm over the bassinet, then leaned in to peck Harry on the forehead.

"I'll turn the charm over to you for the feed after next," he promised, though they both knew Harry would wake as soon as Lucas made the slightest fuss. "Sleep well, love."

"You too, Moons. Goodnight." Changing into his pyjamas as Remus left, Harry practically fell into bed, letting out a quiet sound of pleasure at being back in his own bed. The hospital beds weren't terrible, but… nothing beat home. Crawling under the duvet and rolling to face the bassinet, he grinned to himself, listening to Lucas' soft breathing. "G'night, little one," he whispered, eyes sliding shut. Everyone with experience had told him that the most important rule of newborns was to sleep when the baby slept. That would probably be easier when he stopped wanting to watch Luke sleeping.

.-.-.

Much to just about everyone's surprise, Harry took to parenthood like a duck to water. He'd been prepared for stress and exhaustion and feeling like a failure for the first few weeks — Molly and Fleur had told him it was perfectly normal, and he shouldn't let it get to him. Yes, he was exhausted, having to get up several times in the night to feed, change or otherwise settle Lucas. And yes, sometimes he was stressed, but all he had to do was take one look in his son's wide blue eyes and he couldn't help but smile. Lucas was such an easy child, very rarely fussing unnecessarily, and even at two weeks old he seemed aware of the world around him, constantly looking around. Harry just knew that as soon as he was old enough to start crawling and talking, he'd never sit still for two seconds.

They hadn't had too many visitors in the two weeks they'd been home, everyone wanting to allow Harry time to settle into life with Lucas first. Molly and Arthur had, of course, visited at the hospital, and a couple of times since. Each time they came, Molly gushed over how gorgeous Lucas was, and how surprisingly quiet he was. Harry presumed she was biased after raising seven Weasley children, and that belief was only cemented when Fleur said the same enviously. He could remember when Victoire had been Luke's age, and had to admit that she'd been anything but quiet. Then again, that hadn't changed much. Harry just hoped he stayed lucky with his son.

Still, despite his overwhelming happiness at being a father and having Luke, it was all too obvious to Harry, even in the early days, that his son was going to look more like Tony than Harry. Having compared him to the few photos Remus had of Harry as a baby, he could tell that the only traits of his Lucas seemed to have were the Potter hair, and possibly his eyes once they turned. Facially, everything else was pure Tony Stark. It was bittersweet, and Harry often found himself wistfully imagining what Luke would look like at ten, or fifteen, or even twenty. He was going to be a handsome little bugger if he looked as much like Tony as he did already. It was just a shame Tony wouldn't be there to see it.

Harry had very nearly called the billionaire dozens of times since bringing Luke home. It had gotten to the point where he'd had to shut the phone in a carefully warded box in the bottom of the dresser in the nursery. The wards wouldn't damage the phone, but they would be difficult enough for him to dismantle without blowing the electrics that he wouldn't be able to do it on impulse. Remus hadn't asked, but Harry could tell the werewolf knew; the sympathetic look in his eyes gave him away.

Pushing the thought from his mind, Harry turned back to where Luke was sat in his carry-cot, staring dazedly at him and gripping haphazardly at the blanket covering him — knitted by Molly, of course. The baby spent most of his time sleeping, but according to the books Harry had read that was completely normal. The books also said that he was reaching the age of starting to recognise faces, which was why Harry had invited the Hogwarts contingency over to meet Lucas for the first time. Everyone not in school had met the baby already, though briefly and often while Luke himself was sleeping, but Harry was planning on having them come over more now that Luke was actually capable of being aware of people.

The fire in the grate flared green, and Harry grinned as Hermione stepped through, brushing soot off her jumper. She barely had time to open her mouth before it flared again and Ron emerged, closely followed by Ginny, Neville and Luna. "Let's see him, then!" Ron urged with a grin, making Harry laugh.

"Alright, but you'll have to be quiet, I don't want any of you setting him off," he warned, crossing over to the carry cot and gently tickling Lucas' chin, drawing happy sounds from the newborn. Lifting him with practiced ease, he kissed the mess of black hair and settled his son in his arms, smile widening when he heard several quick intakes of breath.

"Oh, Harry, he's beautiful," Hermione murmured, edging forward to peer over his shoulder as Harry turned back to his friends. Lucas stared up at her, looking a little sleepy and confused, but the inquisitiveness definitely there. "Hello, Lucas."

"Luke, pup, this is your Aunt Hermione," Harry told his son quietly, a grin on his face. "Get used to her, because you'll probably be going to her a lot for homework help when you're older." Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes and swatting him lightly on the shoulder.

"Let's have a look," Ron pleaded, keeping his voice low. Hermione moved round to allow her boyfriend a look at the baby, and Harry watched Ron's jaw slacken a little. "Wow, mate. He's a chubby little thing, isn't he? Cheeks like a hamster." Harry laughed, and Hermione elbowed the redhead sharply in the gut.

"Ronald!" she hissed, glaring at him.

"What? I'm just saying! It's cute though. Well done, Harry," he added with a grin to his dark-haired friend, who smiled back.

"Thanks, Ron. And yeah, he's a bit chubby, but all babies are at this age. He'll even out when he starts growing. You remember what Vicky was like?" he reasoned, thinking back to Bill's daughter at Luke's age. With her golden blonde hair and rosy cheeks, she'd looked like a stereotypical cherub.

"Yeah, fair point. Come here, Gin, have a look." Ron beckoned his sister closer, moving back so she could see, and Hermione did the same to allow Neville and Luna to squeeze in without crowding the baby.

"Oh," Ginny breathed, eyes wide. "Wow, Harry. You should be glad you've not had a girl, you'd be keeping her under a chastity charm until she was thirty," she joked with a grin, making him chuckle.

"I know, right? I'm still not convinced I won't be doing the same with him. He's only going to get more adorable from here on out," he declared, no doubt in his mind that his child would continue to be cute throughout his life.

"You can say that again," Neville agreed, smiling. "Congratulations, Harry. He's brilliant."

"His aura is even stronger now he's out here with us," Luna told him, completely serious. "He's going to do wonderful things when he grows up." Harry looked down at his baby, who was beginning to fall asleep in his arms.

"Well, just so long as he does them because he wants to and not from some bloody prophecy, I'm perfectly fine with that," he reasoned, but the blonde girl merely smiled wider, leaning up to peck him on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Harry. His choices are clear and plenty; the hand of fate won't be guiding him like it did you." Harry didn't know whether Luna had any true seer abilities, but he trusted her word regardless, and felt a weight lift off his shoulders that he hadn't known existed. The last thing in the world he wanted was for his son to feel forced down a path like he had as a child. He wanted to do everything he could to make sure Lucas' childhood was the complete opposite of his own; no child of his would ever feel like they weren't loved.

"Where's Remus?" Hermione asked curiously, making him look up.

"In the kitchen doing lunch, last I knew. He may have fallen asleep at the kitchen table, though; it was his night to get Luke's feeds last night." Ginny made a face in sympathy as she moved to sit on the sofa with Ron and Hermione, Harry sinking down beside Luna and resting Luke securely on his chest.

"Merlin, I couldn't imagine having to get up in the night all the time to feed and change a baby. I barely get enough sleep as it is," the redheaded girl mused. "And changing nappies, ugh."

"It's really not so bad," Harry reasoned, smiling. "I'm a light sleeper anyway, and he doesn't fuss all that much. And I have done far more disgusting things than change his nappies, I can assure you," he joked. "Though I've been warned it'll get worse when he's on solids."

"That won't be for ages though, right?" Neville asked curiously. "Until he has teeth and stuff."

"No, when he starts teething I'll have him on baby food and soft stuff, like mashed vegetables and things. It teaches him how to chew," Harry explained, pausing when he heard footsteps in the hallway. "Hiya, Moony."

"Hello, cub. Hi, everyone, it's good to see you all. Stay where you are, I brought lunch in," the werewolf assured, and Harry craned his neck to see a tray of plates levitating in the man's wake.

"Hi, Remus," Hermione greeted cheerfully, standing to help him with the plates regardless of his words. "How are you coping with the new addition to the household?"

"Oh, well enough. Sirius and I lived with James and Lily for a bit just after Harry was born, so this isn't my first time," he told her. "James was petrified he'd do something wrong, so he wanted us around for reinforcement," he added at her perplexed look. "So I have to say, Harry, you've got a head start on him already. You're doing brilliantly on your own." Harry grinned at the compliment, transferring Luke back to his carry-cot. The newborn stirred for a few moments, letting out a disgruntled noise, but easily fell asleep when Harry stroked his hair gently.

"Thanks, Rem, but I'm hardly on my own. That's what you're here for, isn't it?" he joked, gratefully accepting a plate of food. It was nothing fancy, just sandwiches and a salad, but Harry was ravenous.

"What was Harry like as a baby?" Ginny queried in interest, tucking her feet underneath her to balance her plate on her lap.

"A lot like Lucas, actually. Barely made a sound unless he wanted something, and was quiet as soon as you gave it to him. Sirius used to sit and have staring competitions with him for ages, but he never won. James was convinced he was broken for the first few months or so. Every other baby he knew was loud and fussy, so it was a bit of a shock when Harry turned out so complacent," Remus told them with a fond smile. Harry snorted, not having heard that part of the story before.

"Hear that, Ron? Loud and fussy," he teased his friend, knowing his parents had known Ron as a baby. "You too, Nev." Both boys flushed, and Hermione giggled.

"I'll warn you now, though, cub; if he continues the trend of taking after you, you'll be in for trouble past about four or five months or so. You were a nightmare once you started teething, and then you started crawling. Pads and I had gone back home by then, but the amount of times James flooed in a panic because you'd crawled off somewhere and couldn't find you…" Remus trailed off with a snicker, and Harry laughed, glancing over at his son. At least by the sounds of things he had a few months to get used to things before the chaos began.

"I think I can handle it," he assured, surprised at how excited he was at the prospect. Even if Luke did turn grumpy when he was teething, it was just another milestone in his son's life, and he was looking forward to every single one. "Anyway, enough baby talk. How's stuff going at Hogwarts? You lot all ready for your NEWTs?"

The only ones who didn't groan at his words were Luna and Ginny, who just looked vaguely smug at not having their exams until the year after. "Come on, mate, I thought we came here to get a break from NEWTs," Ron complained, grimacing. "Hermione's been making us all revise like mad."

"Well, excuse me for wanting you to do well!" the brunette huffed, making Ron's eyes go wide as he quickly backtracked.

"I didn't say it was a bad thing, but you're a bit pushy about it and there's no way we can all study as many hours as you do, we'd go mental!"

"Stop, Ron," Harry advised, stifling a laugh. "Before you find yourself single once more." Ron went red, but wisely shut up, and Harry smirked at the discreet whipping motion Ginny made while her brother couldn't see.

"We're doing fine at school, thanks, Harry," Neville assured him. "Just looking forward to graduating, I think. It feels like I've been at Hogwarts a lifetime by now." Neville would be going for a Herbology masters under Professor Sprout's tutelage, ready to take over when the woman wanted to retire. Harry knew his gentle friend would be a brilliant teacher.

"How about you, Harry? I'd imagine you've been far too busy for your Healer training work, what with Luke and everything," Hermione asked, sipping at her butterbeer. Harry frowned slightly; if he was honest, he hadn't touched any of his St Mungo's stuff since the birth.

"I don't know if I'll keep it up, 'Mione," he admitted. "It's mostly theoretical stuff, even once I can go on to practical work, and… now I have him, I couldn't imagine working full days and just leaving Luke at home with Moony. I don't want to be one of those parents that misses out on their kid's life because they're too busy working. Healer Thompson said I could still learn some medi-magic from Poppy and out of books without having to take Healer training itself."

"Are you sure, mate? I know how excited you were about becoming a Healer and everything," Ron piped up, his mouth half-full. Harry shrugged, setting aside his empty plate.

"I was, but… I'm far more excited about being a father." It wasn't like Luke had another parent to stay home with him, as close as Remus was. It was different. Harry wanted to be involved. "Besides, I… I've been thinking about properly taking up the PotterCo stuff. I've got a meeting with the goblins in a couple of weeks to discuss the first loans we're giving out, and I really, really like all this business stuff. I know it's not what anyone expected of me, but I think I could do something amazing with all the money involved in it. The war orphanage is in a right state, and we're looking into donating and maybe setting up a volunteer programme there. And while it's just me at the moment, once we start building up a client base I'll be hiring more people, and I can work from home for the most part, even when Luke is older." He stopped abruptly when he realised his friends were staring at him, flushing sheepishly.

"Sounds like you've thought this all out," Hermione noted, a slight smile on her face.

"I really have. Moony helped, and I didn't have much else to do while on bedrest," he remarked wryly.

"I think it sounds like a brilliant idea," Luna declared. "And if anyone can do it, it's you, Harry."

"Thanks, Luna," the green-eyed teen said, grinning.

"I agree, it sounds great. Let me know if you need any help with anything, won't you?" Hermione added. Harry paused, thinking.

"You could ask around at Hogwarts," he mused slowly. "See if anyone in our year is thinking of starting a business and needs a bit of backing. I know Lavender and Parvati were planning on opening a clothes' shop to get muggle fashion into the wizarding world." That was exactly the kind of thing he needed; businesses that could cross between both worlds with ease. The wizards needed to learn that just because it was muggle didn't mean it was bad.

"They still are," Ginny confirmed. "I was talking to them about it earlier. I'll tell them to owl you." He smiled gratefully at the younger girl, making her grin in return.

"We'll all ask around," Neville promised. "I bet the girls aren't the only ones. Not everyone wants to go into the Ministry after graduating." Harry didn't blame them; the Ministry hardly had the best reputation after the war.

"What about the twins?" Ron asked, brow furrowed. Harry smirked, opening his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a whimper from the carry-cot. Checking his watch, he glanced over at Remus, who was already on his feet.

"I'll get the bottle, you get him settled," the older man assured, heading into the kitchen. Harry smiled, standing and moving to his son's side, seeing his blue eyes open and his face turning red as he prepared to cry.

"Easy, pup," Harry murmured soothingly, lifting him out and holding him close, doing the gentle bounce-rock-sway motion he'd quickly perfected. "Uncle Moony's gone to get your lunch, don't you worry, love." Pressing a kiss to his son's head, he gave Remus a quick smile as the man returned with a bottle in hand. Sitting back down, he cradled Luke in one arm and took the bottle from his godfather, checking the temperature against his wrist out of habit before holding the teat to Luke's lips. At the first nudge, the newborn eagerly latched on, drinking hungrily. Confident his son was satisfied with the milk formula, Harry looked back up, only to find the rest of the room staring at him.

"Blimey, Harry. You're practically a pro already," Ron remarked, making him blush.

"You just learn his tells, is all," Harry reasoned bashfully. "It's about time for his usual feed, and he didn't sound like he needed changing. He probably will in a bit, though, if I've got any volunteers." He laughed as his friends gave a simultaneous look of disgust; he couldn't expect much less, he supposed. Luke continued to suck at the bottle like he'd never eaten before in his life, and Harry chuckled to himself when the baby continued to suck even after the bottle was empty. It was a good sign, Healer Thompson had assured him. Harry was lucky to be sticking with the same Healer after his pregnancy — most switched to a paediatrician — but it had been agreed that the less people involved, the better for his privacy, and Healer Thompson was qualified.

Gently easing the bottle from his son's mouth, he set it aside and grabbed a cloth from the coffee table, tossing it over his shoulder to smoothly ease Luke up into burping position, rubbing the little boy's back. Hearing a few burps escape, he grimaced faintly at the familiar feeling of milk being spit up onto the cloth. When he was sure Lucas was finished, Harry settled him back down and removed the cloth, wandlessly scourgifying it. "That's kind-of gross, mate," Ron informed him bluntly. Harry snorted, smiling as Lucas fell asleep in his arms. He could stay there for a while instead of in the carry-cot.

"Yeah, well, that's babies for you. Cute ten percent of the time, gross the other ninety. I'm sure yours will be exactly the same," he teased, watching as both Ron and Hermione blushed in unison. No one who knew the pair had any doubt that they'd soon be filling the world with a whole quidditch team of adorable redheaded brats.

With Luke happily settled and sleeping, Harry steered the topic back to what everyone would be doing after graduation, and their plans for the summer. It was hard to believe that in a few short months, it would be a whole year since he'd gone to Malibu. Harry was no longer wishing he could turn back the clock; all he wanted now was to speed forward and watch his son grow and develop. He just wished the boy's other father would be there to do the same.


	14. Chapter 14

June 15th, 2008

.-.

Harry grinned as Lucas bounced on the bed, Captain America action figure in hand and whooshing noises escaping his lips as the four year-old made the figure fly around the room. "Captain America can't fly, pup," he pointed out, earning a dark look from his son.

"Can now," he insisted stubbornly. Harry smothered a laugh, holding out the brightly coloured octopus plushie that Luna had bought for Lucas, and which was currently playing the role of supervillain. With a battle cry, Luke charged towards him with Captain America held in front of him, dive-bombing the poor stuffed octopus and tearing it from Harry's hands, repeatedly hitting it with the hand holding his action figure. Harry made the appropriate cries of despair, but paused when the TV suddenly flashed a 'breaking news' banner.

"Hush a second, pup," he urged, reaching over for the remote to turn the sound up. The screen changed to the news reporter, and Harry's heart fell to his stomach.

"This just in, Stark Industries CEO and owner Tony Stark has been kidnapped from a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan," the reported announced, a short video clip of a military truck exploding, followed by a picture of Tony's grinning face; clearly taken at a party of some sort. Harry's breath caught in his throat, hand reflexively gripping the remote tighter. God, Tony only got more attractive as he got older.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Luke asked with a frown, plopping down on the bed beside him and staring up at him in confusion. Harry ignored him, listening intently as the reporter explained what Tony had been doing in Afghanistan, and how no one had seen any trace of him since the ambush. He didn't even notice the knock on the door, only to startle when Remus slipped into the room. The werewolf frowned at him, then took one look at the television screen, his jaw dropping.

"Oh, cub," he murmured, immediately moving to hug Harry around the shoulder.

"Dad, Moony, what is it? Who's that man?" Luke persisted, frown deepening. Harry choked on a bitter laugh; of course Luke didn't know. He couldn't.

"He's a friend of your Dad's, pup," Remus explained softly. "They haven't seen each other in a long time, though."

"Oh." Luke bit his lip, crawling into his father's lap and hugging him around the waist. "M'sorry, Dad. I hope your friend is okay."

"He will be, pup," Harry replied quietly, stroking his son's messy dark hair, still staring at the picture of Tony on the screen. "They'll find him." He wished he could be as confident as he sounded.

"Pup, why don't we go get you ready for your bath, yeah? Then I'll read you a few chapters of your story before bed," Remus suggested, a forced smile on his face. Luke immediately brightened, as both men knew he would, and scrambled out of Harry's lap to jump off the bed.

"I wanna turn the tap!" he exclaimed excitedly, sprinting out of the room towards the bathroom. Remus chuckled to himself, turning back to Harry with a concerned frown. Luke had been obsessed with the bath tap for weeks now; he'd be happily occupied for five minutes or so.

"Are you alright, cub?" he asked, squeezing Harry's shoulder comfortingly. Harry shrugged, tearing his gaze away from the TV to look up at his godfather.

"Yeah, course I am, Moons," he replied, the words sounding fake even to his ears. "It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything." Remus merely raised a knowing eyebrow, and Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. "He's a bloody genius, Remus. If… if he's alive, he'll get himself out. He's not as vapid as he makes out to be." Because of course, Remus was well aware of what the news said about Tony Stark. Neither of them would admit to keeping track of the man over the years; Harry to feel like he had some connection to his son's other father, and Remus to try and learn more about the man his godson had so clearly fallen in love with.

"I don't doubt that, Harry. Give it a week or so, they'll have found him by then," he assured optimistically. "I'll take care of Luke's bedtime tonight. You just… get your thoughts together." Harry nodded, accepting the kiss bestowed on his forehead and squeezing Remus' hand before letting him go, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he heard the werewolf call out to Luke that he'd better not be making puddles in the bathroom again. Merlin, he'd grown up so fast.

Harry turned off the television, seeing it had turned to some stupid story about muggle MPs dodging taxes, and slowly got up from the bed, walking across to the dresser opposite. Dropping to his knees, he pulled the drawer open, digging around past spare sheets and towels until his hand closed around a slim black box. Tugging it out, the lump in his throat rose once more, and he lifted the lid on the box. The sleek smartphone was now nothing special, compared to what was on the market thanks to Stark Industries, but it still jumped to life when he turned it on, the screen lighting up and flashing the SI logo. Harry bit his lip as he opened the contacts list, seeing only the three names it had been programmed with when it had first been given to him. He had his own phone now — Stark Industries, of course — and he had never allowed himself to transfer those three contacts over, for fear he'd get too tempted and call one of them. He'd promised himself when Lucas was born that he wouldn't use the phone again, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Selecting the first name on the list, he kept his fingers crossed that the number hadn't been changed in five years, holding the device up to his ear.

It began to ring, which was a good sign, and Harry held his breath as he waited for an answer, unprepared for the wave of emotion that hit him at the sound of the woman's voice. "Pepper Potts, make it quick, I have bigger things to worry about right now," she snapped, the sound so familiar it took Harry a few moments to respond.

"Uh, hi, Pepper. It's me." He had no idea if she even remembered who he was, but it was worth a shot. There was silence on both ends of the phone, before Pepper spoke.

"Evan?" she asked hesitantly, and Harry let out a long sigh of relief. She recognised his voice. "God, Evan, what the hell? I didn't think you still had my number, it's been _years_. Tony tried tracing the phone a while back, and JARVIS couldn't find it. We assumed you'd gotten rid of it." Harry was surprised at the information, trying not to read too much into it. Tony was probably just bored and curious, but no doubt the wards around Grimmauld Place had distorted the GPS signal.

"I know, I know. I promised myself I wouldn't call again, but… I saw the news." His voice cracked, and he hoped Pepper wouldn't hang up on him. No doubt she'd had all sorts of people calling for updates since the kidnapping.

"Of course you did," she replied flatly. "What makes you think you have the right to know what's happening, when everyone else in the world is told to fuck off?" Harry winced; he should have expected that.

"Nothing," he replied honestly. Without telling her about Lucas, he had no more claim to Tony's life than any of his other flings. "But a man can hope. I don't care about the details, I just… what's the outlook?" He waited anxiously, hearing Pepper sigh.

"It's not looking good, I'll be honest," she said eventually. "We have no leads, no trail to follow. But we can only assume he's alive and being held for some sort of ransom, which means we'll get a request through sooner or later. But until then, we've got nothing."

"Right," Harry croaked, feeling sick at the confirmation. "God…" The urge to use magic to find him, to apparate into the middle of the Afghan desert and just use a point-me charm, was overwhelming, but Harry knew he wouldn't be able to get away with it. Everyone would want to know how Tony Stark escaped. Still, as a last resort…

"Why are you even calling?" Pepper asked accusingly. "You made it very clear when you stopped calling that you didn't care."

"Of course I still care," he hissed back at her, indignant. "I had reasons for not calling, I don't need to explain myself to you. But I thought of the two of us, Tony would be the one to stop caring first." Pepper snorted, and he could imagine her with the skeptical raised-eyebrow expression on her face.

"Then you clearly don't know him as well as you like to think you did," she retorted icily. Harry opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of Luke's excited rambling as he passed by the door with Remus to go to his bedroom. His heart clenched, and he let out a long breath.

"Right, well, sorry to have bothered you," he murmured. "Please, don't… when you find him, don't tell Tony I called." The last thing he needed was for Tony to start calling him again; he wouldn't be able to keep Luke a secret this long.

"I won't," Pepper agreed. "But if you were as good a person as I thought you were five years ago, you'd call again and tell him yourself."

"I can't," Harry insisted. "I can't tell you why, but… I can't talk to Tony again. Ever. But I hope he comes home safe soon."

"We all do. Goodbye, Evan. Don't call me again." Before he could respond, she hung up, and he let the phone drop into his lap, running a hand through his hair. He deserved that.

Sighing to himself, he slid the phone back into its box and buried it in the dresser once more, getting to his feet. Ducking into his bathroom to brush his teeth, he stripped down to his boxers and crawled into bed, turning off the TV and lights and pitching his room into darkness. He squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing back the sob that wanted to bubble from his lips. Pepper was right; he had no right to anything about Tony's life, any more than the press or the paparazzi.

A sliver of light trickled into his room as the door opened a fraction, and Remus peered in at him. "Everything all right, cub?" he asked quietly, edging into the room. Harry flopped onto his back, looking up at the older man as he perched on the edge of the bed.

"Not really. I, uh, called Pepper. She said that it's not looking good, and basically I'm an asshole for only caring about Tony when he's potentially dead." Remus winced, squeezing Harry's knee through the duvet.

"If she knew, she wouldn't say that," he soothed. "We both know it's not true. You care about Tony every bloody second of the day." He offered a small smile, reaching up to smooth Harry's hair off his forehead. "Merlin, I forget how young you are sometimes," he murmured wryly. "Tony will be just fine, Harry. Like you said, he's a genius; he'll find a way out. Just have some faith, and don't let what Pepper said get to you. She hasn't got all the facts."

"I know, Rem, but… I still can't help but wonder what would have happened if I'd kept in touch. Maybe… maybe one day I could have told him," he replied, making the older man frown.

"You know better than to dwell on what-ifs, Harry," he chastised lightly. "Go on, get some sleep. Luke's all tucked up in bed and sleeping soundly, you've nothing to worry about. I'll see you in the morning, love."

"Love you, Moony," Harry replied softly, leaning up to kiss the man's cheek. Remus smiled and left the room, shutting the door behind him, and Harry rolled onto his side when he was finally alone. He wanted to believe Remus, he did, but… part of him still felt like a terrible person for keeping such a huge secret from Tony, and pretending he didn't miss him just as much as he had the day he left Malibu.

.-.-.

Two months. Two long, excruciating months in which Harry was practically glued to his laptop in the hopes of there being some news. There were dozens of websites dedicated to following the progress of the hunt for Tony Stark, and he had each one of them bookmarked. Some of them were just recycling what the news reports said, but others were full-on conspiracy theory sites, going on about how it was suspicious just how little Stark Industries seemed to be focusing on the kidnapping of their CEO, and how it looked like no one was putting in the effort to bother recovering Tony Stark. Harry read those sites like watching a car crash; with his heart in his throat, but unable to tear his eyes away. He knew it wasn't completely true — there was no way in hell Pepper would just let Tony die in the desert — but Obadiah Stane, who was acting CEO and someone Harry had only heard about through a few mentions from Tony and several news reports, seemed to be perfectly happy in his new position and unwilling to remember that it was only temporary.

A lifetime ago, Harry would have gone straight over to Malibu and started snooping, trying to figure out what was really going on. But not now; he wasn't a student, fighting Voldemort with Ron and Hermione at his sides. He was a father with responsibilities, and he had to put Luke before himself. As well as that, he had the secrecy of the wizarding world to keep; if he was going to be caught out anywhere, it would be at Stark Industries, where JARVIS and Pepper had their eyes on everything.

However, before he could finally give in to the urge to get involved and start meddling, Tony was found. Well, sort-of. The details were vague, clearly kept quiet from the media, but apparently the man had found a way to escape his captors and get far enough away to signal the military for help. Harry grinned like a fool as he read the article, Luke busy doing his meditation exercises with Remus upstairs. Just because Harry didn't use magic often didn't mean Luke didn't have it, and Harry was very much of the opinion that the sooner he learned to control it, the better.

Seeing a news alert pop up that stated Tony would be giving a press conference live on camera, he clicked the link to stream it, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of Tony sat leaning against the podium, bruised and battered but dressed in a sharp suit, unwrapping a burger and fries on his lap. He snorted to himself, a fond smile crossing his face. Only Tony.

Turning the sound up, he watched closely, trying to judge Tony's state from the slightly pixellated video. He seemed okay, though he had one arm in a sling, and — frowning, Harry fullscreened, wishing he could zoom further. There seemed to be something glowing faintly over Tony's chest, behind his shirt. He was covering it nonchalantly with his sling, and his shirt did a good job of blocking the light out, but it was definitely there; Harry was intimately familiar with the contours Tony's chest, and something was markedly different. What was it? Some sort of high-tech healing device? A pacemaker, maybe; there until he could have surgery for a normal one? Knowing Tony, it could be anything.

He sat and watched the entire conference, short as it was, his heart in his throat as Tony spoke. The man seemed so… broken, so defeated by the realities of his own creations. Harry just wanted to wrap him in a hug and never let go, and he actually found himself winding his arms around his own waist, unable to do anything more. He clicked off when Tony was escorted out by Stane, not caring to watch any more. Stane's voice made him want to punch things, and he could find out anything else online later. Besides, he mused with a glance at his watch; it was nearly time to take Lucas to the park. He had promised, after all.

.-.

Despite extensive Googling, Harry still hadn't been able to find out what was wrong with Tony's chest, even several days after the conference. The media were going crazy at the return of their golden boy, but most of it seemed to be about Tony's radical change of heart in regards to Stark Industries' products. Harry knew that refusing to sell weapons wasn't as impulsive as it seemed to the rest of the world; even back when Harry had known him, Tony had been annoyed and frustrated and having to build and sell so many weapons to so many idiots. Harry was proud of him, as stupid as it sounded. He was finally making the company his, instead of Howard's.

His pigeon-hole glowed red in the corner of his room, indicating a delivery, and he shot off the bed to retrieve it, careful not to make too much noise; it was late, and Luke was in bed. Flipping the lid on the varnished wooden box, he removed the thick file from inside and flicked through it, hunting for the information he'd requested. Most of it was legitimate business information — the details on the meeting the next morning, the application from a rapidly growing muggle music shop with a squib owner who wanted to expand his clientele — but wedged in discreetly between all that was a thin packet of paper with 'CONFIDENTIAL' stamped across the front. Opening the packet, he pulled out the sheets and tossed the rest of the file on his desk; it wasn't important.

As his eyes trailed over the words on the paper, his heart slowly sank; even his best men hadn't been able to find out anything. Clearly, Tony was keeping his secrets close, and no doubt had JARVIS removing every trace of information from anywhere but his private servers. Only able to be mildly annoyed at not knowing what was wrong, Harry was more worried than anything else. Usually Tony loved to show off his inventions with all the pride of a child displaying a winning science fair project; for him to be keeping everything so quiet — because Harry didn't doubt that whatever it was, Tony had created it — meant it was likely dangerous, or vital to his health. The less information out there, the less risk of someone using it against him.

Sighing to himself, Harry let the papers fall to his lap, gaze cast over to his dresser. He'd have to use his last resort. Getting to his feet, he walked over and knelt in front of his dresser, digging out the box with his Starkphone in it. Tapping one of the three numbers in his contacts, he held it up to his ear, swallowing as his throat went dry. "I told you not to call again." He winced at the anger in her tone, shifting to lean back against the dresser, still sat on the floor.

"I know, I know, and I promise after this I will never, ever bother you again. I'll get rid of the phone, I swear," he insisted hurriedly.

"If you're calling you must know he's home. Why call me? I didn't think you were that much of a coward," Pepper sniped, and Harry's heart skipped a beat at the prospect of calling Tony.

"I can't, Pepper, I can't talk to him. I can't say why but just please, don't make me do it. I just want to know if he's okay. That thing on his chest, the glowing thing you could see a little bit during the press conference, I can't find anything on it anywhere. He's not dying is he?" He didn't think he could take it if Tony died.

"You've been _snooping_?" Pepper hissed angrily.

"Yes, but I couldn't find anything, I assumed JARVIS was behind it."

"And you think you deserve to know more?" the redhead asked, her tone icy.

"No, no, I don't want to know what it is or anything," he assured, though it was a lie. "I just want to know if he's okay."

"He's fine," Pepper bit out. "For the most part, at least. And he's not dying." Harry let out a relieved breath, wishing he were brave enough to ask more.

"Thank you, Pepper. I just… thanks." It was a weight off his chest to know that Pepper would always be there to take care of Tony. He had no right to, as she liked to keep reminding him.

"Tony's coming, I have to go," Pepper said abruptly. "Unless you want me to tell him who I'm talking to."

"No!" he blurted quickly. "No, no, I'll go. And I'll never call again, I mean it this time. I'm sorry." Before he could say anything he'd regret, he hung up the phone and tossed it to the floor in front of him, staring at the glossy screen. The background picture was still the one Tony had set when he'd given it to Harry; the pair of them making stupid faces, hanging out in Tony's living room. Sighing, Harry slid the phone back in the box, setting it carefully in the dresser. Yes, he'd promised Pepper he'd destroy the phone, but… it was the only copy he had of that photo. It was the only photo of him and Tony together he actually liked. All the ones from news sites were blurry and stalkerish.

Pushing himself to his feet, he crept out of his bedroom and down the hall to the door half-covered in paint splashes, a lopsided 'Lucas' Room' sign on the front. It was half-open, and he nudged the door a little wider, slipping into the bedroom. Lucas was fast asleep, tangled haphazardly in his duvet, stuffed octopus under his arm. Harry edged closer, sinking down into the chair beside the bed. It was the same chair that had been in Luke's nursery as a baby; the same chair he'd spent half his time in, feeding his child and settling him in the middle of the night.

The lamp on the bedside table cast a soft glow over the four year-old's face, and Harry was struck not for the first time how much Luke looked like Tony, even in sleep. "I'm so sorry, pup," he breathed, voice near-silent in the room. Reaching out a gentle hand, he smoothed down the haphazard mess of hair that was definitely inherited from the Potter side. "I'm so sorry. He would've loved you so much, and it's all my fault he won't get the chance." Lucas didn't stir, and Harry didn't know how long he sat there, stroking his son's hair and murmuring apologies. Even if he were brave enough to approach Tony now, it was too late. It had been nearly five years since they had parted; there was no way Tony even remembered his name still. Just because Pepper did, it didn't mean anything. It was her job to remember people Tony had interacted with.

Eventually, Harry's eyelids began to droop, and he knew that if he stayed much longer he'd fall asleep in the chair. He didn't want to make Luke worry by having him wake up to find him in the room. Leaning down to press a soft kiss to his son's temple, he straightened up, tiptoeing out of the room and back to his own, shutting the door behind him. Running a hand through his hair, he stripped to his boxers and moved the papers off his bed, crawling wearily under the duvet. Merlin, he felt old.


	15. Chapter 15

April 2nd, 2009

.-.

"Luke, hurry up!" Harry called, waiting by the portkey with a fondly exasperated expression on his face. Ginny was smiling, and the smile widened as Lucas came racing round the corner, his rucksack over his shoulders.

"Ready to go, Dad!" he declared, grinning widely and bouncing on his feet. Harry smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder and holding out the portkey to both Ginny and his son.

"Ready?" he asked, getting two firm nods. "Grand Central Station." At the keyword, the three of them felt their feet leave the ground, Harry keeping a tight hold on Luke's shoulder as the portkey transported them. His knees buckled a little as he landed in the private room in the station, but he stayed upright, and smiled at the portkey attendant waiting.

"Welcome to Grand Central Station, I hope you enjoy your stay here in New York," she greeted politely, taking the used portkey from them both. "Will you require transport to your hotel?"

"Uh, yeah, a taxi would be brilliant," Harry replied, and the attendant nodded. "I can flag one outside, though, it's no problem." The witch smiled, obviously glad to have someone who knew how it worked.

"Excellent. Have a great day." Herding his son out of the room, Harry led Ginny out into the main station, ducking easily through the crowd to get to the street. He raised a hand to flag a taxi, seeing one pull over, and ushered his sister and son over to it.

"Gramercy Park hotel, please," he requested once they were all inside and buckled up.

"Yes, sir," the driver confirmed, pulling back out into the traffic. Lucas was practically glued to the window as they drove through the city, and Harry felt a pang in his chest, memories of his last trip there coming to the forefront of his mind. He always tried to avoid going to America if he could help it, as the urge to apparate to Malibu and find Tony grew even stronger, but he'd been given an invite to a charity gala that he couldn't really refuse; PotterCo needed to raise their international profile a little to please some clients looking to branch out. Still, he'd been keeping tabs on Tony almost obsessively since the kidnapping, scouring the news for just about everything Iron Man or Tony Stark related, and being in such a familiar place was making him miss the man more than ever.

They checked into their hotel with ease, Luke absolutely loving the luxurious hotel suite, and once Dobby appeared to watch Luke for the evening, Harry reluctantly retreated to his room to shower and put on his best tux, preparing for a boring night of trying to please arrogant, self-absorbed idiots. Oh, the things he did for his company.

.-.-.

Harry laughed behind his wine glass as Ginny mocked a pompous old man behind his back, looking innocently away when he turned suspiciously. Despite the obvious gold-diggers, it was a pretty decent party so far. At least he had Ginny to talk to, he might have gone insane otherwise.

He turned, intending to ask Ginny to dance, when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Evan?" Turning slowly, Harry's stomach clenched painfully, the air leaving his lungs as he set his eyes on a face he hadn't seen in person for nearly six years. Tony Stark was standing merely a few feet from him, wide-eyed, looking just as handsome as he had when Harry had first met him. Sure, he was a little older, but then so was Harry. Pepper stood beside him, her jaw dropped slightly.

"Hi, Tony," he greeted quietly, though his voice carried far enough for the other man to hear. Ginny tensed upon hearing the name, and Harry knew she'd twigged it. He wasn't surprised.

Tony strode towards him quickly, a look of shock in his eyes. "Oh my God, Evan, it's really you!" he breathed excitedly. "Damn, look at you! You're… damn." Harry couldn't help but smile slightly, resisting the urge to hug Tony.

"It's good to see you, too, Tony. And you, Pepper," he added with a tentative smile, remembering how angry he'd made the woman last time they'd spoken.

"What are you doing here?" Tony asked, his eyes fixed on Harry's green ones.

"Same thing as everyone else; donating money," Harry replied wryly. Tony raised an eyebrow.

"You're rich?" he asked, surprised. Ginny, apparently bored of being ignored, snorted.

"Oh, only one of the richest men in Britain," she retorted. Tony almost visibly bristled, and Harry smirked.

"And you are?" the older man asked with a pointed look.

"Ginny, be nice. This is Tony Stark, and his assistant, Pepper Potts. Tony, Pepper, this is Ginny Weasley, my little sister," Harry introduced. He could see Tony relax at the realisation that Ginny wasn't a girlfriend or wife, and the man smiled, taking her hand and kissing the back.

"Well then, Miss Weasley; it's a pleasure," he greeted smoothly.

"Sure," Ginny replied flatly. Harry gave her a glare.

"Ginny, stop it!" he hissed. He knew she didn't like Tony purely because in her mind, the man had left Harry alone and pregnant, but there was no need for her to be so rude!

"I'm going to get another drink," she said, stalking off towards the bar. Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Sorry about her, she…"

"Doesn't like me," Tony presumed. Harry began to shake his head, then nodded.

"Sort of. She still thinks you seduced me and forced me into things all those years ago," he half-lied. Tony raised an eyebrow.

"I'll admit to the seducing, but you were completely consenting to everything we did those two weeks," he insisted, and Harry nodded.

"I know that, but she won't listen. She'd quite protective of her family."

"So your real surname is Weasley?" Tony asked. Harry laughed, shaking his head.

"No, no; She's my family by love, not by blood. I'm an orphan, her older brother was my best friend at school. His family just sort-of took me in. I suppose I'd better introduce myself properly, hadn't I?" he mused. It was no surprise Tony hadn't connected the dots yet; despite PotterCo's prominent name, Harry tried to stay out of the limelight in the muggle world if he could help it; he needed one world where people wouldn't recognise him on the streets. Holding out a hand, he sent Tony a charming smile. "Harry Potter, pleased to meet you." Tony's eyes flickered in shock, but he composed himself, bringing Harry's hand to his lips. Harry's skin tingled where Tony's lips touched it, and in that instant, all the feelings Tony used to spark in him came rushing back stronger than ever. Well, bugger.

"Tony Stark, the pleasure is mine," Tony murmured, looking up through hooded eyes at him. "Pepper, Harry and I are going to take a walk," he added to his assistant, who nodded, a small smile on her face. Tony placed his hand on Harry's back, reminding him of that night back in the club when they'd met, and led him outside to a private balcony, sliding the door shut behind them. Harry shivered a little in the evening air, leaning against the railing to look out across the city. New York really was beautiful. Not as beautiful as Malibu, though, in his opinion. "So," Tony began, moving to stand beside Harry.

"So," the younger man echoed. There was a silence, before Tony broke it.

"Why did you stop calling?" he blurted. Harry raised an eyebrow, and Tony smiled sheepishly. "Back after you went home… you stopped calling after a few months. Why?"

"I figured you'd moved on with your life. We were only together for two weeks of the summer, I assumed you'd gone back to your old habits of a different person every night, and that you wouldn't want me bugging you," Harry replied with a shrug. That, and it had been harder and harder to keep Lucas a secret. Tony snorted, shaking his head.

"Oh, Harry," he said softly, turning to face him. "You were never bugging me. Sure, I slept with other people, but none of them were as good as you. None of them had me more than once," Tony told him, reaching out to clasp Harry's hand loosely in his own. Harry's heartbeat quickened at the tender touch, unconsciously stepping towards Tony. "I've spent the past five years with that little voice in my head asking me why I let you go back home that day, why I didn't fly to England after you and beg you to stay with me. I can't let the opportunity pass by me again. There's something about you, Harry Potter, that makes me want to know everything about you," he breathed, gaze fixed intently on the Brit. Harry felt himself leaning in closer, unable to stop, and their lips touched. The kiss was gentle at first, but Harry found himself lost in it, the memories of his time in Malibu as vivid as if they'd happened yesterday. He'd stopped trying to convince himself he wasn't in love with Tony Stark years ago, and now here he was, kissing him. It was almost too good to be true. Then he remembered exactly why he'd made himself stay away from Tony, and pulled away.

"Tony, I'm sorry, I can't," he blurted, wincing at the hurt look on Tony's face.

"Why not? Are you seeing someone back home?" he asked, but Harry shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. I just… I can't start something again, I'm leaving New York in two days," he told him.

"Then I've got two days to convince you to stay," Tony declared firmly. Harry let out a choked laugh, shaking his head.

"It's not that simple, Tony. I'm not the same person I was back then. I'm not Evan Black," he said sadly. Tony shook his head stubbornly.

"I don't care! I don't care if you're not who you were, give me a chance to get to know who you are! I like you, Harry. I liked you when we first met because you were cute, then you got under my skin and I wanted to know you. I've never wanted to know someone after sleeping with them! Almost everyone else I've slept with, I couldn't tell you their name after a week; I've remembered yours for nearly six goddamn years, and it wasn't even your real one! We were good together, Harry, and I want to see if this can go anywhere," he insisted. Harry turned away, shutting his eyes tightly. He wanted so badly to say yes, but he couldn't. Not again.

"Please, Tony. Don't make pushing you away harder for me than it already is," he begged.

"If it's hard for you to push me away, then don't! Give me a chance, bright eyes," Tony argued.

"I can't risk getting hurt again!" Harry snapped, glaring at Tony. "I'm sorry, but I just can't. Let me go, Tony, it'll be better for the both of us." With that, he went back inside, leaving Tony alone on the balcony, lost in thought. His eyes scanning the hall for Ginny, he found her at the bar, talking to a handsome blonde man. Making his way over to her, he tapped her shoulder gently. "I'm heading back to the hotel, are you staying here, or…" he trailed off, eyeing the blonde man. Ginny frowned, giving him a suspicious look.

"Is everything alright, Harry? You look upset," she told him. He shook his head, shrugging her off.

"It's fine, I'm just tired," he insisted. She sighed, but accepted it.

"Go to bed, then. I think I'm going to stay a while longer," she replied. Harry smiled, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Have fun, don't stay out too late," he added with a grin, earning a swat on the shoulder.

"Oh, sod off, Potter. Night." He gave her a small grin, then made for the exit, bidding goodbye to the host and hostess on his way out, promising to post them a cheque the day after. Getting into his car, he wearily sat back in the seat, starting the short drive back to the hotel.

.-.

Tony stayed outside for a long time, contemplating all Harry had said. He knew he should probably stay away and respect Harry's wishes, but he couldn't. All it took was one memory of sparkling green eyes looking up at him, of burning lips against his, and he was done for. He'd stopped pretending he hadn't fallen in love with Evan Black after around the tenth person he'd slept with and only been left thinking 'they weren't Evan'. The man, not even out of his teens, had spoiled him for anyone else. When he'd said he couldn't, Tony's mind automatically jumped to the vision of another touching his Evan – Harry, he reminded himself. Jealousy burned within him as he imagined another man kissing his green-eyed beauty, another man claiming him. He couldn't let that happen. Harry was his… he just didn't know it yet. But he would.

"JARVIS? Pull up records on the guests; find out where a Mr Harry Potter is staying," he said into his Bluetooth.

"Yes, Mr Stark," JARVIS' mechanical voice replied. Tony waited for a moment, before he got a reply. "Mr Harry Potter is currently residing in Room 604 in the Gramercy Park Hotel." Tony grinned to himself triumphantly.

"Tomorrow," he murmured to himself, heading back into the party. Yes, he'd go there tomorrow.

.-.-.

Harry was woken by a familiar small hand poking his cheek, and groaned. "Lucas, what time is it?" he moaned, cracking an eye open. His son was dressed, shoes and all, and had a large grin on his face. Not for the first time, it hit Harry how much Lucas looked like his father. Other than the famed Potter hair, and Harry's vivid green eyes, everything about him was Tony.

"Almost seven. Dad, you said you and Aunt Ginny would take me to see the city!" he wheedled, turning puppy-eyes courtesy of Ginny Weasley on his father. Harry groaned, closing his eyes.

"I meant at a reasonable hour of the day," he protested, but dragged himself out of bed regardless. "Go see if Aunt Ginny is awake, brat, while I have a shower," he urged, kissing his son's forehead. Lucas beamed, racing off into Ginny's room, and Harry sighed. Last night had been… eventful. If he'd had any idea Tony Stark would be on the guest list, he wouldn't have gone. His heart physically ached at how much he missed the man, it was ridiculous. They'd been together for two weeks, barely, and he had never even looked at anyone in that way since. Tony had spoilt him for anyone else; every time he tried to imagine anyone but Tony kissing him, touching him, making love to him, he felt ill. It was wrong.

Padding into the bathroom, he turned the shower on full blast, waiting a few moments for the water to heat up before stripping off his boxers and stepping in, letting the scalding water wash over him. His hand trailed down his stomach before he could stop himself, gripping his semi-hard cock and squeezing. Seeing Tony again had brought back memories of Malibu, memories of Tony pleasuring him, making him feel things he'd never felt before. Sure, he'd had dreams of Tony nearly every night since he'd left Malibu, but they'd never been so… vivid.

Bringing himself to completion, he quickly scrubbed himself clean, grabbing a towel off the rack and performing a wandless drying charm on his hair and body. Heading back out into the bedroom, he pulled on a pair of boxers, dropping the towel, and started to step into a pair of jeans when there was a buzzing sound, indicating someone was at the door. Rolling his eyes, figuring it was cleaning staff, he buttoned his jeans and head out, uncaring of the fact that he didn't have a shirt on. He was sure the staff would have seen worse. Pulling the door open, he began to speak. "I'm sorry, I-" he paused as he realised that the person in the doorway was definitely _not_ cleaning staff. "Tony," he greeted, surprised. Internally, he was panicking. Fuck! This was not what he needed, he'd expected Tony to listen when he said stay away! But, of course, Tony Stark never listened to anyone but himself.

"Wow. Not the view I was expecting, but I can't say I'm complaining," Tony said by way of reply, his eyes fixed on Harry's bare chest. Harry blushed, turning away to go grab a shirt. He could tell by the footsteps that Tony was following him, and rolled his eyes.

"What are you doing here, Tony? I told you to leave me alone," Harry said sharply. Tony opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a sound that made Harry want to scream.

"Dad! Aunt Ginny was sleeping, but I woke her up, and now she's all grumpy, so she told me to bug you for a while. Who's he?" Lucas babbled all in one long breath, rushing into the room. Tony's eyes had gone impossibly wide at the word 'dad', and Harry was convinced the whole universe hated him.

"He's a friend of mine, Luke," Harry explained, allowing his son to hug his legs, ruffling his hair.

"Oh. Is he coming to Central Park with us, too?" Lucas asked curiously.

"Yes." "No." Harry glared as Tony answered affirmatively, drowning out Harry's reply and making Lucas grin.

"Yay! I'm Lucas, what's your name?" Lucas introduced, always the outgoing child. Tony grinned, giving the four year-old a wave.

"Nice to meet you, Lucas. I'm Tony," Tony greeted in reply. Lucas grinned at him, then turned to Harry.

"Dad, you're not dressed yet!" he announced, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"I know, pup. I didn't get the chance. Just stay here and play with Tony while I go finish getting dressed," he told him, heading back into the bedroom. It was probably stupid to leave his son in with his unknowing father, but he didn't have much choice.

Dressing quickly, he emerged into the sitting room, only to find Ginny was there too, sat with Lucas on her lap, talking to Tony.

"Harry, there you are! Can we talk for a second? Brilliant," she said, plopping Lucas on the sofa next to her and grabbing Harry's arm, forcing him back into the bedroom. "What the hell is he doing here?" she hissed. Harry glared at her.

"I don't know, he just turned up! I told him to back off last night, I can only assume he didn't listen," he retorted. Ginny groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin. Harry, I know you've missed him and all, but you know how bad it would be to get back together with him. You've watched the news, he's a man-whore!" Harry couldn't help but bristle at her calling Tony a man-whore, but she glared at him. "Don't deny it, Harry. I know you've got that little fantasy in your head of you, Luke and Tony being a happy little family, but it's not going to happen. He's a muggle, and a scientist, he couldn't possibly understand our world!" she exclaimed. Harry glared at her.

"How do you know? You don't even know him!" he argued. Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, and you do? Harry, you were dating – if you can even call it that – for two weeks, that was over five years ago. You don't have any more of a clue about what he's like than anyone else in the world!" Harry sighed, wanting to argue, but knowing that she would win. She couldn't understand that, although he didn't know Tony's favourite food, or where he grew up, he knew what type of person Tony was. He knew that he could be sweet when he tried, and he was terribly possessive, and not nearly as vapid as the papers painted him to be. He knew – or at least, he thought he knew – Tony's heart, and to him, that was what mattered. But he could drop that train of thought, as he knew perfectly well that he couldn't get back together with Tony. It was too dangerous, for both of them. One of them would end up with a broken heart, or worse.

"Look, Ginny, it's my life, alright? I know you mean well, but don't. Don't interfere with things that are none of your business," he warned her, his voice low. Ginny gulped, but glared at him, stalking back to the main room with a huff. He sighed, then followed her, finding Lucas talking a mile a minute to Tony, who looked as if he could only catch about every third word, but was trying valiantly to follow the boy's ramblings anyway. Lucas stopped abruptly when he saw Harry, grinning.

"Can we go now, Dad, please?" he asked hopefully. Harry nodded, and Lucas cheered, scrambling up to jump onto his father's back. Barely flinching at the sudden weight on his back and the arms wrapped around his neck, Harry merely shifted the boy until he wasn't kicking him in the kidneys, then turned back.

"You coming, then?" he asked, more to Ginny than Tony.

"Someone has to keep an eye on you," Ginny replied with a false smile, glaring at Tony. The poor man looked so confused, but nodded anyway, getting to his feet. Making sure his wand was in its holster and his wallet was in his pocket, Harry left the room, Tony and Ginny on his tail.

"Can we have pancakes for breakfast, Dad?" Lucas asked hopefully. Harry thought for a moment, but Tony beat him to speaking.

"I know a great little place just off Central Park Avenue, they do the best pancakes in the city," he supplied. Harry rolled his eyes, unable to keep the fond smile off his lips.

"Sure, we can have pancakes, brat," he agreed, earning a small 'yay!' and a kiss on the cheek.

Stepping out of the elevator and into the lobby, Harry gave a sigh at the woman with ice blonde hair and purple eyes, dressed in artistically torn jeans, a band t-shirt and a black and purple jacket. "Really inconspicuous, Dora. Truly," he called in a deadpan voice. The woman, who had been innocently leant against the wall reading a newspaper, broke her composure and cursed.

"Bugger, I thought I might have it. Never could get past you, though, kiddo," she added wryly, walking towards them.

"Aunt Dora!" Lucas squealed happily, squirming on Harry's back. Dora laughed, leaning over to kiss first Harry's cheek, then Lucas'.

"Hello, munchkin. Who's your friend, Harry?" she asked, jerking a thumb towards Tony.

"Uh, he's, uh, Tony Stark?" he said meekly, wincing.

"What?" Dora asked, freezing.

"He's Tony Stark. He was at the gala last night, we got talking, then he turned up at my hotel room," he explained with a slight snort. Dora looked from Tony to Lucas, then back again.

"Does he know about-"

"No. No, he doesn't, and it's going to stay that way," Harry told her, gritting his teeth. "I'll assume you drew the short straw and got stuck on guard duty, then?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. Charlie sends his love, by the way, and he wants to talk to you about something when you get home," she added. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Does he? Any idea what about?" he asked, but she shook her head.

"Dad, pancakes!" Lucas whined, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh, alright then, monster. Tony, lead the way," he declared, holding out an arm in a dramatic fashion, grinning. Tony snorted, but started towards the doors, walking beside Harry. Ginny and Dora fell back a bit, and Harry could hear them whispering. No doubt about Tony. He growled inwardly; why couldn't people just fuck off and let him live his life?

"So, who's that then?" Tony asked curiously, glancing over his shoulder.

"Oh, that's Dora; she's married to Charlie, one of Ginny's older brothers," Harry explained. He took slight pleasure in the way Tony's shoulders relaxed when he mentioned that Charlie was married, and followed as Tony turned a corner, immersing them in the bustling crowd. Harry, used to those sorts of things, just kept going, walking side by side with Tony.

"I thought you said you weren't seeing anyone?" Tony queried. Harry gave him an odd look.

"I'm not," he replied. Tony's gaze flickered to Lucas, who seemed far too enraptured in the city sights to listen to their conversation.

"Then who…?" Tony trailed off, his meaning clear.

"Oh, uh. It was a while ago. It's his fifth birthday next month," Harry explained. Tony went silent for a moment, and Harry could practically see the wheels in his brain turning.

"So he was conceived when you were in Malibu?" Tony questioned, his voice strained. Harry winced, hearing the unspoken 'you cheated on me?' as clear as day.

"No, after. It's… complicated," Harry half-lied. The complicated part was definitely true.

"Was she pretty?" Tony continued, the hurt in his voice making Harry feel lower than dirt. He wished so badly that he could tell him, but he knew he couldn't. Tony wouldn't understand.

"Can we… can we not talk about this? Please?" Harry pleaded softly, turning pained eyes on Tony. The older man sighed, but nodded. The two carried on walking in silence, neither of them daring to say anything. It wasn't like there was anything either of them could say to make the situation less awkward.


	16. Chapter 16

Thankfully, Lucas' presence made breakfast less awkward, as no one could get a word in edgeways around the boy rambling about everything he wanted to see and do in New York, interspaced with questions about Tony and what he did. As soon as Tony told the boy that he built robots, he was instantly elevated to 'coolest person ever'. Harry's chest ached at the ease with which Lucas and Tony got on, the family resemblance all too obvious to him.

After pancakes, however, Lucas insisted on seeing _everything_. "I can show you guys around, if you like?" Tony offered, gaze on Harry. "New York is my home away from home."

"Oh can we Dad, please?" Lucas begged, tugging on Harry's arm. Harry smiled, biting his lip as he looked at Tony. He just wanted to yell at the man that Lucas was his, and he'd never been unfaithful. He just wanted Tony back. He'd thought six years would be long enough to get over him, but… apparently not.

"Yeah, sounds fun," Harry agreed, making Tony grin.

"I'll pass, kiddo," Dora told him, ruffling his hair. "I should get to work anyway." Harry knew that meant she'd be tailing him in varying disguises throughout the day, and smiled.

"Fair enough; I'll see you later. Ginny?"

"I suppose I'd better," she remarked sharply. "Wouldn't want you getting any ideas." Harry glared, wishing he could kick her without it looking obvious. He loved her like a sister, but she really didn't need to get involved.

"Well, that's settled then. Little man, pick a direction," Tony requested of Lucas, who screwed up his face thoughtfully, then pointed somewhere off to his left. "Excellent choice," Tony declared with an approving nod. "If you'll all follow me?" Harry couldn't help but smile as they started walking, loving being in Tony's company again. Even with the awkwardness between them, it was still incredible just to be able to talk to the older man. The faint glow of the Arc Reactor was barely visible through his shirt, though only if you knew what to look for. Harry wondered what it would look like up close.

Tony pretty much let Lucas lead everything, occasionally steering them in the direction of something he thought they'd enjoy. With the billionaire's help, Harry thought they saw most of the major New York landmarks — at least, the ones in the area — though he hadn't yet had the chance to talk to Tony properly. Ginny stayed back, walking with them but keeping quiet, a sullen look on her face. Harry kind-of wished she'd stayed back at the hotel. "Pup, if you want to get some shopping done, we'd better do it now while the stores are quieter." Come later on in the day, everyone would be getting off work and hitting the malls, and it would be heaving.

"Shopping!" Lucas exclaimed brightly, bouncing on Harry's shoulders, where he was sitting for the best view.

"Kid takes after you, then," Tony teased Harry, obviously remembering the amount of shopping Harry had done in Malibu. Harry blushed, smiling sheepishly.

"Yeah, well. I think he just likes shiny things to be honest," he remarked dryly. Tony snorted, amused.

"Don't we all? Come on, I know the best mall around here. And maybe it'll cheer up little miss sourpuss back there to buy her some pretty shoes. Works when Pepper's mad at me." Harry laughed, glancing back at Ginny, who clearly hadn't heard the comment.

"And how often is that, then? Once a week?" he ribbed playfully.

"Hey, it's not that bad! Shoes twice a month, occasionally jewellery. Unless I call her in on her day off, in which case it's both, and I have to take her out to dinner. That's happened so often lately the press think we're dating," Tony added wryly.

"The press have always thought you're dating Pepper," Harry pointed out, making Tony shrug.

"True. But it's getting worse, now; they're starting rumours that I'm going to _propose_." He said the word as if it were a swear, and Harry laughed. "I've told Pepper that the one piece of jewellery I won't be giving her is a diamond ring. I think she was about ready to kiss me in gratitude. Is the thought of marrying me really that bad?" Tony remarked. Harry's stride faltered, and he swallowed the instinctive 'I'd marry you' before he could make a fool of himself. The awkward silence was quickly broken when Luke spotted something shiny in a shop window that he wanted Harry to buy him, and Harry led the way inside, not looking at Tony. He hadn't expected things to be so difficult.

.-.

Laden down with bags, even Harry was beginning to tire towards the end of the day, though Lucas seemed to be filled with boundless energy. Tony had directed them towards a spring carnival going on, and Lucas loved seeing all the rides and games and stalls. Harry was reminded of the fair in Malibu, where Tony had won him the stuffed penguin; the same penguin that resided in Luke's bedroom back home. "You can take the brat," Harry declared wearily, looking at Ginny. "I need a break, and you did say you wanted to spend more time with him." Ginny eyed him, gaze flicking to Tony, and Harry rolled his eyes. "Go on, go." Lucas tugged on Ginny's hand, and as usual the redhead couldn't say no, allowing him to take her over to a shooting game. Harry detoured to a bench, sighing in relief when he sat down.

"Tired already?" Tony teased, standing opposite him.

"I'm a single father to a hyperactive four year-old, I'm always tired," Harry retorted, rolling his eyes. Tony frowned at the reminder of Harry being with someone else, ignoring how his chest seemed to hurt more than usual. Harry had aged since they last met, but in a good way; he was definitely a man, now, and an attractive one. Fatherhood suited him. "Thanks for all this, by the way. Luke's been talking about nothing but New York for the past month, ever since I got the gala invite. Thanks to you, he got to see everything he wanted." Tony smiled, dropping down on the bench beside Harry, trying very hard not to let their knees touch, as much as he wanted to.

"You're welcome; I've had fun, too. Even if your sister does hate me," he added dryly, making Harry snort.

"She'll get over it. I can find several people willing to go to the next event with me, should she continue to be such a brat about things." Harry really wasn't sure what Ginny's problem was; yes, she thought Tony had knocked him up and left him, but so did half the family and they weren't nearly so angry about things.

"Oh? Got a line of beautiful men and women waiting for you back home, have you?" Tony asked, slightly more acidly than intended.

"I've got five married brothers whose wives would love the chance to dress up nice and go dancing, as their husbands never take them," Harry retorted dryly, trying not to take offence to the accusation. "Plus several female friends who are used to accompanying me to these. I'm out back home, so bringing a woman stops people speculating if my date is secretly my boyfriend." Tony frowned, obviously confused as to how he could have Lucas if he was definitely gay, but didn't ask, for which Harry was grateful.

"It's amazing we've not run into each other before, then," the American mused, leaning back on the bench. "If you go to a lot of them."

"I tend to stick to the European ones," Harry reasoned. "So that's probably why. It's only now Luke's older and I can bring him with me that I'm travelling a bit further; I don't like leaving him for days on end, even if it's just with my godfather." He looked up, seeing Lucas was urging Ginny to head further into the carnival. "I think we'd better get moving, before we lose them," he declared, getting to his feet. Tony nodded, standing up, and the two of them began to follow.

Harry laughed as Lucas dragged Ginny round from stall to stall, babbling without seeming to breathe and pointing out forty things a minute. The poor woman could barely keep up, and it was nice to see someone else having to manage the boy's energy for a change. It was another thing he'd inherited from Tony; the constant urge to be doing something. "You want an ice cream?" Tony asked, gesturing to an ice cream van parked in the corner. Harry grinned, nodding. "Mint chocolate chip?" Tony guessed. Harry nodded again, a little bubble of happiness emerging at the fact Tony could still remember his favourite flavour ice cream.

He waited as Tony paid for their ice cream – and signed a napkin for the ice cream man – and took his cone from the older man with a smile, licking it. Tony, on the other hand, had raspberry ripple, and was devouring it happily. They carried on walking, Harry keeping one eye out for Lucas and Ginny, Tony keeping both eyes on Harry, a dreamy little smile on his face. The Brit turned to ask him a question, and Tony couldn't help but laugh at the small smear of ice cream the younger man had on his bottom lip. Harry cocked his head curiously, looking up at Tony. The genius almost groaned aloud at how fuckable he looked right then. "What?" Harry asked innocently. Tony automatically reached out, swiping a thumb across the other man's lip, then froze once he realised what he was doing. Neither of them moved, Harry's lips pressed against Tony's thumb in some semblance of a kiss.

"Harry, I…" he trailed off, the words dying in his throat. He didn't know what to say. I'm sorry? No, that sounded too much like goodbye. I love you? He snorted inwardly; that would just sent the poor man running for the hills.

"No, no, it's okay," Harry told him, clasping Tony's wrist to move his thumb away, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

"You're beautiful," Tony breathed, unable to help himself. Harry blushed harder, dropping the older man's wrist. Tony reached out again, twining his fingers with Harry's, giving him an imploring look. The Brit looked down at their conjoined hands, then sighed, his eyes meeting Tony's tentatively. They carried on walking, and Tony beamed; Harry hadn't let go of his hand.

"Listen, Tony… we really need to talk. Properly. I won't be able to do that when Luke and Ginny are around… meet me at our bench at ten, we can talk then," Harry murmured, quiet enough that Ginny wouldn't hear. Their bench referred to the time Tony had taken him to New York, and they'd spent half the night sat on a bench in Central Park, just talking.

"I'll be there," Tony replied, a quick thrill of excitement rushing through him. He hoped it meant the younger man was giving him a chance, but alternately realised it could be Harry wanted to get some things off his chest before telling him to fuck off, and the excitement dimmed.

"Great. Now, if you don't mind, I'd better go rescue my son before he drowns himself in candy floss," he said wryly, and Tony looked over to see Lucas peering into a cotton candy machine, looking dangerously close to falling in.

"He's a real cute kid, you've done a great job with him," he complimented, ignoring the voice in his head screaming at him that Lucas was _Wrong_ because Harry should never have been with anyone other than him.

"Thanks. It's been tough at times, and I had him far too young, but… I don't regret anything that happened to make him," Harry replied with a wide smile, unaware that he was driving the spike in Tony's heart just that little bit deeper. He released Tony's hand and rushed forward, urging Luke to step back from the machine. "You not getting tired yet, pup?" he asked, and Lucas shook his head, grinning.

"Not yet, Dad. Can I have some candy floss?" Harry bit his lip; on one hand, that much sugar would make Luke a pain to get to sleep. On the other, they were on holiday.

"Yeah, alright, but only a small one." Harry smiled at the vendor, paying for a small candy floss for his son, and then sodas for all four of them. Ginny took hers gratefully, taking a long sip, and Tony offered him a smile in thanks, grabbing his off the counter.

"I think we've seen just about everything around here," Ginny declared, glancing around. "We must have been around the carnival about four times."

"I think you're right," Harry agreed, ruffling Lucas' jet black hair. "You ready to head out, kiddo?" Lucas pouted, but nodded. Taking his son's hand in his own, Harry turned them towards the exit, Tony walking by his side. His heart sunk when Tony's phone bleeped, and the American's smile fell.

"Yeah, Pep," he greeted, picking up the phone. "I thought you cancelled that meeting?" There was a pause, and Tony let out a whining noise. "Yeah, but does it have to be _now_?" Pepper obviously scolded him, as he pouted, huffing. "Fine, I'll see you in ten." He hung up, smiling apologetically at Harry. "I've got to go; meetings to be in, people to be bored by."

"Oh, such a shame," Ginny said quickly, not even trying to sound sincere. "Well, it was nice meeting you Tony, I doubt we'll see each other again. Come on, Harry, we should get Luke back to the hotel room and fed before bedtime." Harry rolled his eyes, ignoring the redhead to hug Tony quickly.

"See you at ten," he murmured lowly, having to convince himself to let go after a few moments. Tony nodded, offering a smile to show he'd heard, then knelt down to ruffle Lucas' hair.

"I'll see you around, little man. Be good for your dad, he's all tuckered out," he teased, making Lucas giggle. A car pulled up with a SI license plate, and Tony frowned, heading towards it. "See you, Harry."

"Yeah, see you Tony," Harry replied somewhat wistfully, watching the car until it was out of sight.

"You'll be better off letting him go, Harry. Maybe this will be the push to make you see he's obviously moved on," Ginny murmured, squeezing his arm. Harry snorted quietly; if there was one thing that was obvious to him from their day together, it was that neither of them had moved on.

"Yeah, well…" he said, trailing off with a sigh. "Come on, let's get back and have dinner; I'm starved."

Lucas barely managed to stay awake during dinner, and Harry put him to bed with very little fuss, smiling as he watched his son sleep. Hopefully, his meeting with Tony would mean a lot of changes coming up, hopefully for the better.

Ginny went to bed relatively early, kissing Harry on the cheek goodnight, and Harry waited twenty minutes before going to his own room, shutting the door as if going to bed. Smiling to himself, he glanced at his watch; it was too early, yet. He looked himself over in the mirror, grimacing; he'd definitely looked better. He looked nervous, and tired, and there were dark, sticky fingerprints on his jeans that could only belong to one person. With a sigh, he hopped in the shower, hoping the hot water might freshen him up a little. By the time he was clean, dry and dressed, he was definitely looking more presentable, and it was a lot closer to ten. Concentrating on being as quiet as possible, Harry apparated out of his room, arriving in an empty alleyway just off of Central Park. He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. It was time to face the music.

Harry approached the bench nervously, tugging his jacket tighter around him, and smiled when he saw Tony sitting there, looking around anxiously. Steeling his nerves and taking a deep breath, he stepped closer, drawing the man's attention. Tony stood when he saw him, reaching out as if to hug him, then paused, his arms dropping awkwardly to his sides, a lost look on his face. Harry felt his heart break slightly, his resolve crumbling just that little bit more as he pulled Tony into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of his neck. Tony wasted no time in hugging back, his familiar strong arms wrapping around Harry's waist, holding him. Before he knew it, Harry had let out a choked sound, a suspicious stinging at his eyes alerting him to the fact that he was about to cry. Tony rubbed his back, kissing his hair gently. "Shh, bright eyes. I got you," he murmured softly, his breath tickling Harry's ear.

"Fuck, Tony, I've missed you so much," he gasped, his breath now coming out in wracking sobs. Tony gently eased them both so they were sitting on the bench, Harry in Tony's lap.

"I know, gorgeous, I've missed you too, more than you'll ever know," he breathed, still rubbing circles on Harry's back. Harry eventually managed to compose himself, wiping at the tears on his cheeks. When he realised just what he'd done, he blushed brightly.

"Sorry," he began, but Tony cut him off with a finger to his lips.

"Don't. I have no problems with you crying your little heart out on my shoulder, bright eyes. You okay now?" he asked concernedly. Harry nodded, sliding off of Tony's lap, but not out of his arms.

"Yeah, I'm good. I just… God, Tony, there's so many things I wish I could tell you. Everyone keeps telling me I can't trust you with my secrets," he confessed. Seeing Tony again, having clear evidence in front of him that the older man hadn't moved on like Harry had expected him to… it made him rethink everything he'd considered fact over the past six years.

"And what do you think?" Tony asked, trying to keep calm even though he was boiling with rage. Who did they think they were, telling Harry he couldn't trust him? He would never betray Harry's trust!

"I think I can trust you with my life… but I'm not sure if I can trust you with my heart. I want to, believe me, I do," he added quickly, seeing the dejected look on Tony's face, "I just… I have more to worry about than just myself. I can't get hurt again, and I can't let Luke get hurt."

"I'll listen to anything you tell me, gorgeous. I swear I won't tell a soul, not even Pepper," he vowed. Harry smiled, then took a deep breath.

"Tony Stark, do you believe in magic?"

.-.

It took a long time for Harry to give Tony a run-down of his childhood, and of magic. Tony was floored; he couldn't believe a whole other community was hidden amongst his own, a community with amazing things like dragons and unicorns, the stuff of legends. And Harry… he was incredible. Tony had thought he was pretty damn amazing beforehand, but hearing about some of the horrors he'd had to face…Tony was speechless.

"Wow," he breathed, after a long silence. Harry laughed breathlessly, a smile at his lips.

"Yeah, that's what I thought when Hagrid first told me I was a wizard. Do you believe me though, Tony? Because there's no point in me telling you anything else if you don't believe me," he added. Tony nodded seriously, daringly leaning in to Harry chastely on the lips.

"I believe every word out of your beautiful mouth," he told him, causing that pretty little blush he loved so much to reappear.

"Alright. Well, when we met, I wasn't exactly truthful about my age," he confessed. Tony frowned, not sure what that had to do with anything.

"I know; your fake ID said you were 21, but you were only nineteen," he replied, but Harry shook his head.

"No, even then I was lying… I was only seventeen. The ticket was a present for my seventeenth birthday from the older Weasley boys, I left the day after my birthday," he admitted. Tony gaped at him. Harry had been seventeen when they met?

"Well, now I feel like a dirty old pervert, sleeping with a minor," he grumbled. Harry snorted quietly.

"I was only a minor in your country, though. British age of consent is sixteen, I'd been legal for a year," he offered, like it might make Tony feel better. It didn't.

"Still, you were barely out of school! I felt bad enough taking a nineteen year-old's virginity, but seventeen… fuck, Harry, why didn't you tell me?" he asked. Harry shook his head.

"At first, it was because I knew you wouldn't sleep with me if you knew, and I really, really wanted you to sleep with me. Then things carried on, and… I thought you'd stop seeing me if I told you," he said quietly. Tony cupped Harry's cheek in his hand; he didn't deny that knowing Harry was two years younger than he'd thought he was – thirteen years younger than himself – was a little weird, but he could look past that. Besides, they were now both overage, consenting adults; what did it matter how old he was when they'd started things?

"I don't care. There's nothing I can do to change things now, and I don't care how old you are now, so long as you don't cut me out of your life," he assured him. Harry beamed, pressing a short kiss to the American's lips, before drawing back hesitantly.

"I still haven't told you the biggest thing, though," he added reluctantly. Tony raised his eyebrow.

"What's bigger than magic?" he asked skeptically. Harry glanced at his knees, nervous.

"Well, it's more something that happened because of magic, really. See… when two wizards are in a relationship, the combined magic of the two can turn the sperm of one of them into an egg, and after some internal adjustment… the wizard gets pregnant," he explained. Tony was sure his eyes would pop out of his head. Men could get pregnant?

"You're going to tell me you carried Lucas, aren't you?" he asked flatly. Harry nodded. Tony growled, an angry look on his face.

"Who do I have to kill for getting you knocked up?" he asked. Harry couldn't keep a straight face at the man's response, nearly falling off the bench with laughter. When he'd composed himself, he looked at Tony, eyes still bright and cheeks flushed.

"Well, I'm a bit of an anomaly in that I'm really, really powerful magically. So much so that my magic was enough for two people, and when I had sex with a muggle man, my own magic substituted in for the magic my partner would have had if he were magical, and turned my sperm into an egg, which my partner's sperm then fertilised," he finished. Once again, he saw the cogs whirring in Tony's brain as he processed the information and did the math, coming to his conclusion with a soft 'oh' and a wide-eyed expression.

"…Mine?" he breathed, awestruck. Harry nodded, taking Tony's hands in his.

"Yes, yours. You, Tony Stark, are the father of my son, the only person I've ever had sex with, and… the only person I've ever loved," he added in a whisper. Tony gasped, his jaw dropping. Did Harry just say what he thought he'd said?

"You… you love me. Lucas is my son. I'm a dad," he stated blankly, shocked. Harry chuckled quietly, nodding.

"Yes, yes and yes. That's why I stopped calling; I couldn't bear the fact that I was keeping such a huge secret as your child from you. I thought that if I stopped calling, I'd be able to forget about you, because clearly you had better things to do than have phone sex with a teenager," he added bitterly. "I'm so, so sorry. I was so stupid, so selfish. Just… Merlin, I can never forgive myself for letting you go, or for letting five years of Luke's life pass by without you in them. I understand if you're angry with me, but I—"

"Harry, I love you and all, but you're an idiot," Tony muttered fondly, pressing a kiss to Harry's forehead. He couldn't believe this; he had a son! He was a daddy, and Harry loved him back! "Now, are you and Lucas going to move in with me, or do I have to beg? Cause I will, you know. On my knees and everything," he said earnestly. Harry chuckled at Tony's enthusiasm as the man did exactly as promised, getting down on his knees in front of him. "Please?" he asked, turning large, hopeful eyes on his ex-lover. Harry laughed, swatting his shoulder.

"Get up, you daft twat. I can't decide right now, but I'll think about it. I've got to figure out how to tell Luke first," he pointed out. Tony sighed, but got to his feet, a large grin on his face.

"Holy shit, I'm a daddy," he said, as if realising for the first time. "Tell me about him. What food does he like? What was he like as a baby? Is he smart? Does he have magic?" Harry held up a hand, halting the onslaught of questions.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down. In answer to your questions; everything but carrots; as good as gold, but stubborn as a mule; yes, he's a bloody genius, and yes, he's got magic. Now, why don't you calm down a little before you hurt yourself, love?" he said amusedly, feeling a spark of joy at being able to call Tony 'love'. Tony gave him a strange look.

"How can I calm down? I have a son! I can't wait to tell Pepper, she always said I'd have a kid running around somewhere!" he added with a snort. Harry rolled his eyes, standing up and placing his hands on Tony's hips, making him stand still.

"One step at a time, Tony. Why don't we head back? It's getting late, and I need to be up to take Lucas to the Statue of Liberty tomorrow before we he head home," he pointed out. Tony's face fell, and he relaxed into Harry's arms.

"I forgot about that. Sure I can't persuade you to come back to Malibu with me?" he asked, but Harry shook his head.

"Not now. Ginny's mum will kill me if we're not home for Luke's birthday party," he pointed out wryly. Tony snorted.

"If she's any bit as scary as her daughter, I don't doubt that."

"Oh, about twenty times scarier," Harry supplied, making the other man shudder.

"Spend the night with me?" Tony asked quietly, trailing butterfly kisses up Harry's jaw. The Brit sighed, baring his neck to the man freely, allowing him to kiss the pale skin at his throat.

"I can't, Luke's an early bird, and he'll panic if I'm not there. Fancy risking the wrath of Ginny Weasley to spend the night in my hotel room?" he asked with a daring grin. They still had so much to talk about, and he knew they probably should before they did anything, but… it had been nearly six years. Tony smirked against Harry's Adam's apple, moving to kiss him on the lips.

"I'm Iron Man, cupcake; I can handle a scary woman or two," he told him. Harry laughed, slipping his slightly cold hand into Tony's and squeezing.

"Race you," he challenged, letting go of Tony's hand and sprinting down the street in the direction of his hotel. He heard laughter behind him and grinned, exhilarated, feeling all too immature racing Tony through the streets of New York. Oh, he'd missed that man.


	17. Chapter 17

Harry woke slowly, a pleasant ache in his ass a happy reminder of the night before, the legs intertwined with his own and the arm around his shoulders even more so. Harry let his head rest on Tony's chest, hearing his heartbeat accompanied by the soft whirring of the Arc Reactor. Harry had to admit, it fascinated him; that little, beautiful piece of technology was the only thing keeping his Tony alive. He still didn't know much about it even with Iron Man being out in the public eye, but he knew it was vital.

He felt the muscles underneath him tense, his first indication that Tony was awake. Tilting his head back to look up into sleep-fogged hazel eyes, he smiled. "Hey," he greeted quietly, a giddy rush pulsing through his body at waking up with Tony after so long of being apart.

"Hey, yourself," Tony replied, craning his neck to kiss his lover. Harry was well aware that both of them were grinning stupidly at each other, but couldn't bring himself to care.

"What's the time?" he asked, breaking the moment to glance over at the clock. Quarter past seven; evidently Lucas had decided to wake Aunt Ginny first, or was amusing himself in his room. Either way, Harry thanked whatever gods were listening that his son hadn't woken him at ridiculous-o-clock like normal. "Ginny's going to kill me for bringing you back," he told Tony, making the man wince.

"She'll have to live with it, then, won't she?" Tony replied firmly, squeezing Harry around the shoulders. "Why do your family hate me, anyway?" he asked curiously.

"They don't. Well, not all of them. The ones who do are of the opinion that it's your fault I got pregnant, and you were just using me to ease your boredom, and shouldn't have made me fall in love with you. I say they're just too used to me not being in control over things that they assumed I had no control over that, either. They don't seem to get that it was all my fault, everything I've been through since I left Malibu. If I'd told you, if I'd taken the risk… it could have all been so different." Harry tried to imagine how life could have gone if he'd told Tony from the start, and his heart ached with longing. He was such an idiot.

"Hey," Tony murmured, leaning in for a kiss. "What's done is done. Yeah, I wish you'd told me, but… it's probably for the best. I— me before the Arc Reactor, I'm not really proud of him. I probably would have fucked up somehow and broken your heart all over again. Hell, I doubt I would have reacted so well to the news of being a father. Besides, if you're to blame for not saying anything, I'm equally to blame for not trying hard enough to find you. Don't blame yourself; we were both idiots, and we both know you can't change the past. The important thing is, you've told me now." Harry sighed, kissing him once more. He'd like to believe Tony's words, but he still couldn't forgive himself for not saying anything. As much as Tony said he wasn't proud of who he had been back then, Harry knew that Tony hadn't been that bad; not underneath his public mask, anyway.

"Still, I'm sorry," he said softly, but Tony held him closer, pressing their lips together and carding gentle fingers through Harry's hair.

"Don't be. I don't blame you; I wouldn't have trusted me with a kid back then, either. Things are different now. I'm not as big an ass as I used to be, promise." The American paused, then frowned. "So… how many members of your family hate me, exactly?" Harry couldn't help but laugh, resting a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Not as many as you're probably thinking; most of them are fine. But don't worry, once you prove you're not gonna break my heart, you should be okay," he assured him. Tony raised an eyebrow at him.

"And how do I do that?" he asked apprehensively. Harry just grinned.

"I'm afraid, love, that you're going to have to figure that one out yourself." Tony snorted, burying his nose in Harry's neck.

"Save me," he murmured, making Harry snicker.

"What happened to "I'm Iron Man'?" he teased, and Tony huffed.

"Iron Man deals with people by beating them up. I'm pretty sure that won't score me points with your family." Harry rolled his eyes, nudging Tony's head up to meet his gaze.

"Tony, my family will love you because I love you, and you're already great with Lucas, which will definitely score you points. Speaking of which, we should probably get up and dressed before he decides to come wake me up," he added, leaning in for a brief kiss. Tony whined when they broke apart, and Harry laughed, getting up and tossing the man's trousers at him, hitting him in the face. Digging out a pair of jeans and a shirt, Harry tugged on some clean underwear with his back to Tony, not wanting to start anything. Tony rolled his eyes, winding his arms around Harry's back once they were both dressed, kissing his neck.

"What's the plan for today then, gorgeous?" he asked, Harry leaning back against him without hesitation.

"Mmm, Statue of Liberty. Packing. Dinner. Home," Harry replied, feeling Tony pout at the last item on the list.

"Sure I can't convince you to stay a while longer?" They both sprung apart as the door opened abruptly, and Lucas frowned when he saw them.

"Dad, what's Tony doing here?" he asked curiously. Before Harry could answer, he winced upon hearing a screech from the hallway.

"HE _WHAT_?"

"So… you woke Aunt Ginny up first, then?" Harry presumed, grimacing. Ginny stormed into the room, forcibly grabbing Harry by the arm and dragging him through to her room, slamming the door behind her.

"What the _hell_ is he doing here?" she hissed, eyes flashing angrily.

"He knows," he told her flatly, not scared. He'd faced many things worse than an angry Ginny Weasley. "Tony knows everything; about me, about Luke, about magic, everything. We're getting back together." Ginny recoiled as if slapped, eyes wide.

"You told him?" she exclaimed, stunned. Harry nodded, chin jutting out defiantly.

"Last night, after you went to bed. We met up in the park and I told him everything. I wasn't going to let him walk out of my life a second time, Ginny," he retorted. "Not after how obvious it was that we still love each other."

"How do you know you can trust him not to walk out anyway? He's a manwhore, Harry, he won't be able to be faithful to you. I know you want you, him and Luke to be a happy little family, but it's not going to work out that way, and it'll only be worse if Luke gets close to him and then he leaves! I'm only looking out for you, Harry," she argued. He sighed in frustration, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"I know Tony better than you do, Ginny, so don't tell me what he will or won't do. It's none of your business who I date or what I get up to, and don't you _dare_ insinuate that I'm not looking out for Luke's best interests. He's my son, and I do _everything_ for him. I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't sure it would work. You're my sister, Ginny, but you're not my mother, and you're not _Luke's_ mother, so you have no say over who I date." Ginny growled, shaking her head, hands on her hips.

"I don't need to put up with this," she muttered, reaching for her bag off the end of her bed. "I'm going home early. I'll see you when you get back." Before he could say anything, she apparated away, and he sighed. There went any chance of talking to his friends and Remus before the whole family knew he was back with Tony. Figuring there wasn't much he could do, he headed back out into the living room, smiling when he saw Luke and Tony playing with Luke's dinosaur toys on the coffee table. The look on Tony's face was pure amazement as he stared at his son, one that Harry recognised from his own face for the first few months after Luke was born; the expression of 'oh my God, how did I create something so perfect?'.

"Where's Aunt Ginny gone, Dad?" Luke queried when he realised she wasn't there.

"She went home early, kid," Harry replied, plastering a smile on his face. Tony met his eyes in concern, and he shrugged, offering what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "How about we go and get some breakfast, yeah?"

"Is Tony coming?" Luke asked immediately, cheering when Harry nodded. To his surprise, he got to his feet and hurried to Tony as the man stood, holding up his arms in prompt. After a brief glance at Harry to check it was okay, the American swung the boy up into his arms, a grin creeping across his lips. "What's that?" Luke queried, hand resting on the shell of the Arc Reactor, and Tony had to force himself not to tense instinctively.

"It's a machine that makes my heart work properly. I had an accident a while back, so I built this to fix it," he explained, and Harry frowned briefly at how uncomfortable Tony looked.

"I know it looks pretty, but don't touch it without asking, okay, pup?" he told his son, who nodded seriously, moving his hand to rest on Tony's shoulder instead. Tony gave him a quick, grateful smile, and Harry stepped a little closer to clasp his free hand, squeezing.

Luke didn't stay settled in Tony's arms long, too excited to let himself be carried, and be grabbed one of their hands each so he could swing between them as they walked down to the hotel lobby.

"Any breakfast preferences?" Harry queried, and both Luke and Tony shrugged.

"Pancakes again?" Luke requested hopefully, making Harry laugh.

"If you eat pancakes too often, you'll get too heavy to carry!" he joked, poking Luke's belly and making the boy giggle. "But just this once, I suppose. Tony, pancakes?"

"You know I never say no to pancakes," Tony pointed out, smirking. Harry rolled his eyes, tugging on Luke's hand.

"Pancakes it is, then. Tony, lead the way."

.-.

After breakfast, Tony called up Happy to bring the car round, and the driver openly gaped when he saw Harry. "Now there's a face I never thought I'd see again. Good to see you, Evan!" he exclaimed, shaking his hand warmly. Harry flushed.

"It's, uh, Harry, actually. Harry Potter. Evan was the name on my fake ID," he admitted sheepishly. Happy snorted.

"Harry, then. Either way, it's damn good to see you. And who's this, then?" he asked, spotting Luke hiding behind Harry's leg.

"Happy, this is Lucas. Lucas, I want you to meet my driver and bodyguard, Happy Hogan," Tony introduced. Happy was clearly confused as to who the child was, but shook his hand anyway, smiling.

"Hi Mr Happy," Luke greeted shyly, making Harry snicker.

"Hello, kid. Where to then, Mr Stark?" Happy queried, and Harry shuffled into the back of the car, tugging Luke into the middle seat.

"Statue of Liberty, Happy," Tony requested, getting into the seat beside Luke.

"Yes, sir." Happy easily pulled into the New York traffic, weaving his way through the crush expertly. Luke leaned over Harry to look out the window, eyes round. Surprisingly, Happy didn't ask about either Lucas or Harry, but Harry figured Tony would fill him in later.

Happy dropped them off at the ferry port over to the statue, promising to stay in the area ready to pick them up. Harry grinned when Luke grabbed Tony's hand in excitement, craning his neck to get a better look at the statue from far off. Harry passed the camera to his son, smiling at Tony. "I'll just go get us ferry tickets, yeah?" Tony nodded, a firm hold on Luke's hand while Harry went to buy three tickets, and he was amused to see his son having clambered onto Tony's shoulders for a better view by the time he got back. Tony looked to be somewhat dazed, though there was a grin on his face; he was in love already. Harry's stomach flipped pleasantly, and he twined his fingers with Tony's as he approached. "We're all set, next ferry is in ten minutes. Are you alright with him up there?" Tony rolled his eyes, smiling.

"Harry, he barely weighs a thing, I'm fine," he insisted. Harry nodded, squeezing Tony's hand briefly.

"You get along so well with him," he murmured happily, watching Tony's grin widen.

"He's a really great kid. God, I can't believe he's… mine," he breathed, stunned, too quiet for Luke to hear. "He looks like me, too! I thought it was just my brain playing tricks on me before, but now I look, he looks so much like I did when I was his age. Same face, same scrawny little arms, same everything. Though his eyes and mouth are definitely you." Harry grinned, glad Tony could see the resemblance.

"I knew as soon as he was born that he'd end up looking like you," he told the older man. "It was so obvious from day one. But he's going to be a handsome little brat when he's a teenager," he added with a smirk. Tony winked at him, bringing his hand to his lips.

"Stark genes at work, gorgeous," he retorted smugly. Harry rolled his eyes, patting Luke on the knee.

"Luke, pup, time to come down now. We've got to get the ferry over to the statue." People were queueing up already, and Lucas pouted, but allowed Harry to help him off Tony's shoulders and onto the ground. They joined the queue, Harry glad that Tony's sunglasses and hat seemed to be throwing most people off. For now, at least. He'd like to get through at least this weekend without people taking pictures of him and Tony to sell to the papers.

Trying to keep Luke contained on the ferry was a task that needed both of them; he seemed to want to be on both sides of the boat at the same time, and constantly tried to run between them. Eventually, Tony pointed out that he'd have a better view of things if he stuck to one side, and the little boy stayed put. The ferry trip was rather short, and Harry gripped Luke's hand tightly as they got off at the other end, not wanting to lose him in the crowd. There was a group of kids about eleven or twelve, being herded by several harassed-looking adults, and Harry assumed they were a school group.

Harry listened to the guides who greeted them on their arrival, directing Luke and Tony towards the group who had tickets to climb right to the top. It was explained that only cameras and medication were allowed to be taken with them, and security checks would be administered, and Harry winced. So much for keeping quiet about Tony; the Reactor would be a dead giveaway. "We don't have to climb it," he murmured to the older man. "We can just go in the pedestal, it's fine." Tony shook his head, offering a smile.

"No, no. You promised Luke he'd get to go to the top of the Statue of Liberty, so that's what we're gonna do. Excuse me for a moment, green eyes." With a quick squeeze of his hand, Tony disappeared to go speak to the security guys waiting to perform checks, and Harry watched as he flipped open his wallet to show some ID, and tip the guys a little extra. He hid a smile when Tony ended up signing autographs for them both, before shaking hands with them and returning to Harry's side. "There, all sorted. We're gonna go up just the three of us, after this other group. No one else has to see them security check me."

"Perfect," Harry replied, smiling. "Luke, love, we're gonna wait here for the other people to go up first, and then we'll get to go up, yeah?" Luke nodded, dropping down to the grass to wait, and Tony snorted.

"Agreeable kid," he mused, making Harry raise an eyebrow.

"Oh, you wait. Give it three minutes, he'll get bored and start bugging us," he predicted. Sure enough, within three minutes, Luke was running circles around them in an effort to keep himself entertained.

"Hey, kiddo," Tony called, reaching out to grab the boy around the waist and flip him over his shoulder, into his lap. "Wanna see something cool?" Luke nodded eagerly, and Tony grinned at him, pulling out his phone and holding it so Luke could see. Harry shifted round to peer unobtrusively over Tony's shoulder. Tony was searching through the games folder of his phone, until he triumphantly clicked on something very familiar.

"You have Mario on your phone?" Harry asked, surprised. "Isn't that illegal?" Tony shrugged, smirking.

"Not technically. My phone has a Nintendo emulator, which makes it totally fine. Whether the emulator was legally obtained or not is a different matter."

"What's Mario?" Tony gasped theatrically at Luke's innocent question, holding a hand to his chest.

"You mean you've never played Mario before? I'm going to have to have a serious talk with your Dad about how he's raising you," he declared, making Harry snicker. "Mario is only the best game in the universe. Here, I'll play the first level, you can watch and then try it yourself." Harry watched as father and son sat on the grass outside the Statue of Liberty playing Mario on a high-tech cellphone, a bubble of happiness in his chest. Maybe they could actually make things work.

Time flew with Luke preoccupied, and it seemed like no time at all before the group of people were emerging from the top of the statue, and the security guys came over to take them up. Tony held up a hand before they could say anything, silencing them, not looking away from the phone screen. "You got it, kiddo. Just jump the goomba and run before the floor can fall and- yes! Good going, little man! High five." Tony held up a hand, and Luke slapped it, grinning. "Alright! Let's go to the top of the statue now, huh?" Luke nodded happily, jumping up out of Tony's lap, and Tony pocketed his phone, holding out a hand to Harry with a pitiful expression. Harry rolled his eyes, helping him to his feet, and they turned to the security guards. "Gentlemen, let's make this quick. I assure you, nothing we could have in our pockets could possible be worse than the nuclear reactor embedded in my chest. All in agreement? Good. Let's go." The two men looked uncomfortable at the admittance, but nodded, allowing the guide to take them up.

Harry had to admit, the view was incredible. He leaned into Tony's side as they both kept Luke from climbing over the railing, staring in awe at the New York skyline. He was sure Tony paid the security guys to let them up longer, as it seemed far longer than 15 minutes. Luke was babbling happily on the entire ferry ride back, and Tony pulled his phone from his pocket once more, pressing speeddial 1. Harry didn't need to ask to know who that was. "Hey, Pepper? You free for lunch?" Tony queried. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. Yeah, I know you've met Harry; someone _else_ I'd like you to meet." Harry smiled, Luke riding piggyback with his head on his dad's shoulder. "Great, I'll meet you there in twenty." He hung up, grinning at Harry. "Pepper's meeting us for lunch," he explained. "Can I tell her? About, y'know?" He gestured as if waving a wand, making Harry snort.

"Yeah, you can tell her. And the other thing," he added, discreetly motioning to Luke, who wasn't paying attention. He never expected Tony to keep it secret from Pepper, and he could trust her. "And Happy, too, if you want. He's your bodyguard, he'll need to know."

"I'll tell them both tonight, on the way back to Malibu," Tony confirmed, pleased. "What time are you heading home?"

"Six," Harry replied forlornly. Tony squeezed his hand, leaning in to peck his cheek as they walked to meet Happy with the car.

"We'll figure it out," he assured, making Harry smile.

.-.

They met Pepper at a small restaurant that she and Tony seemed to know well, and her thin eyebrows rose upon seeing Luke. "This is unexpected," she remarked, and Harry smiled.

"This is my son, Lucas. Luke, this is Pepper; she's Tony's very best friend in the whole world, so be nice, okay?" Luke grinned, cheeks dimpling, and he waved.

"Hi, Ms Pepper!" he chirped, and Harry practically saw Pepper melt.

"Hey, sweetie. Aren't you a cute one! And… don't you look astonishingly like Tony," she added quietly, turning to her boss.

"I'll explain tonight, Pepper, I promise," Tony insisted hurriedly. Pepper gave him a pointed look, but nodded.

"I already got us a table in the back," she told them, beckoning them to follow her deeper into the restaurant. "So did you have fun at the Statue of Liberty? I assume since there was nothing on the news, you found a way around the security checks?"

"Tipped the guards," Tony replied nonchalantly. "And we did have fun, actually. Y'know, I've never been up there before," he mused, shrugging. "Never got round to it."

"It was awesome!" Luke declared excitedly. "Everything looked so small!" Pepper's smile softened, and she gave the boy a grin.

"Yeah? I bet you got a lot of pictures, huh? Can I see them?" she requested. Luke eagerly pulled out the camera, leaning closer to Pepper to show her, and Harry smiled.

"Pepper's brother had a couple more kids since you were here last, Pep adores them just as much as the first two," Tony told him softly. "I knew she'd be great with him."

"Then what's your excuse?" Harry retorted, watching Tony blush. "You've known him a day and a half and he already thinks you're amazing." Tony didn't answer, distracted by the waiter coming for their orders. Harry merely grinned to himself; he'd get Tony to see that he could be a fantastic father, even if it killed him.

Harry ordered hotdog and fries for Luke, figuring it would be less messy than mac and cheese, as all their things were packed up and in the back of Tony's car. The little boy seemed to have Pepper wrapped around his finger already, to no surprise; with the Stark genes, he could charm anyone. Pepper was happy to sit and catch up with Harry, and he was grateful that she didn't once mention the times he'd called her when Tony had been kidnapped. He'd tell Tony about it, but not yet.

She begged off after lunch, claiming the need to go and get some laundry done while she had a few free hours, so Harry stood up, hugging her tightly goodbye. "I'll see you soon," he promised, making her smile. "I'm not letting this one get away again, especially not with Luke. He'll explain everything on your flight home," he added. She kissed his cheek, squeezing his hands.

"I look forward to seeing you again, then. And Luke, of course." She leaned down to hug the boy, kissing his hair. "Be good for your dad, okay?" He nodded earnestly, and Pepper grinned at them both. "Wheels up at seven, Tony, don't forget," she added, making Tony roll his eyes.

"Yes, Mother," he droned playfully, earning a swat to the back of the head. With that, Pepper left, and Tony called for the bill. "You've got two hours before you have to head back; anything else you wanna do?" Harry shrugged, thinking.

"Not that I can think of. Pup, anything you haven't done that you wanted to?" Luke shook his head, smiling.

"Then how about we go for a walk, maybe hit the park for a while?" Tony suggested, earning a nod from his son. Gathering their jackets, the two men herded the boy out of the restaurant, Harry taking him by the hand as they walked down the busy New York streets. He was surprised when an arm slid around his waist, but smiled, leaning into Tony's side with ease. It was crazy how natural it felt to be back with him; it felt like six years had never happened, and they'd never been apart. He only wished the chance meeting had happened sooner; Tony had already missed so much of Luke's growth.

"So how are we gonna do this, Tony?" he asked when Luke was preoccupied chasing pigeons in the park. "Us, I mean. There's a big distance between Malibu and England, even with magic," he pointed out. Tony sighed, leaning closer to him.

"We'll exchange phone numbers. And emails. And Skype — do you have Skype?"

"Yeah, I have Skype," Harry replied, smiling. His enthusiasm for technology was seemingly contagious, and he'd managed to get several friends hooked to their laptops. He and Hermione had run experiments, and despite not being able to make technology magic-safe, they had figured out the limits of most things, and had discovered that so long as the room it was in was fairly magic-free, and there were no spells used in its vicinity, a laptop could be owned by a wizard without them having to almost give up magic like Harry had.

"Then we'll Skype. And I'll come out and visit you when I can get weekends off. And you and Luke can come and stay with me whenever you like. And then… we'll work from there. But I am not giving up on this, Harry. You and Lucas are family, damn it, and I'm not losing you again," Tony declared firmly. "I mean, God… I'm probably going to be a terrible father. Everyone knows I haven't really had the best role-model to work from. So if you want to just keep this a me and you thing instead of a me and you and Lucas thing that's completely understandable and I don't blame you in the slightest, but… damn, Harry. He makes me want to try _so bad_ , y'know?" Harry turned his head, kissing the older man.

"I think you're going to be a brilliant father," he insisted confidently. "Luke already thinks you're fantastic. You just need to have a little faith in yourself, yeah? I love you," he added, smiling. "And I don't want to lose you either. But that sounds like a plan. I'm sure I'll be able to visit plenty; PotterCo pretty much runs itself by now, to be honest."

"I wish Stark Industries would run itself," Tony grumbled lightly. Harry laughed, knowing that if Tony didn't have to do work for his company, he'd go mad with boredom.

"Dad, Tony, come play with me!" Luke urged, beckoning them over. Harry grinned, pressing a brief kiss to Tony's lips.

"We'd better do as the brat commands," he joked, making Tony laugh.

"One thing you'll want to learn about us Starks. We're very demanding," Tony warned him. Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Trust me, Tony; I learned that years ago."

.-.-.

Eventually, it had to end. Tony had Happy drive them over to the station, and he and Harry exchanged contact details in the car, Harry promising to call soon. "I don't want to say goodbye to you," he admitted quietly. "It reminds me of leaving Malibu." Tony cupped his cheek, meeting his gaze.

"This isn't goodbye," he insisted. "It's only temporary. I'll talk to Pepper about clearing a weekend for me to come out and see you, okay? I'm not letting you go, Harry, I promise." Harry sighed, leaning in for a kiss.

"I know, I know. I love you," he added, watching Tony smile at the words.

"I love you, too, bright eyes." Tony released him and looked to Lucas, who was watching, somewhat confused. "Give me a hug, little man," Tony urged, bending down so Luke could hug him tightly. "I'll see you soon, kiddo. Stay out of trouble, okay?" He ruffled Luke's hair, kissing the top of his head.

"Bye, Tony," Luke murmured, pressing a sloppy kiss to the man's stubbled cheek. Tony straightened up, pulling Harry into one last kiss.

"I'll miss you," he admitted, and Harry smiled knowingly.

"I'll miss you, too. But it won't be long," he added encouragingly. "Come on, Luke." Shaking hands with Happy, Harry grabbed their bag and Luke's rucksack, taking his son's hand. "See you soon, Tony. Stay safe."

"You too, gorgeous," Tony replied, smiling. With one last wave, Harry turned away and walked with Luke into the station, swallowing the lump in his throat. At least this time he knew it wasn't forever.

"Dad?" Luke queried, tugging on his hand. "Are we gonna see Tony again?" Harry managed a grin, resting a hand in his son's hair.

"Yeah, pup. I think we'll be seeing him a lot in future," he replied evenly. At least, he hoped they would.


	18. Chapter 18

They portkeyed into Grimmauld, and Harry smiled when he saw Remus waiting at the bottom of the stairs for them. "Hello, cub." The werewolf wasted no time in pulling them both into a tight hug, kissing them on the forehead in turn. "I hear you had a rather eventful weekend," he remarked, eyeing Harry pointedly. Harry groaned, rolling his eyes. That answered that question, then.

"Ginny's been talking, hasn't she?" he presumed, and Remus nodded.

"She has, yes. Just about everyone knows you're back together with Tony, now. She didn't explain how it happened, however; she seemed far too busy ranting about how you're an idiot for trusting him." Harry winced, setting Luke down on the floor.

"Luke, pup, why don't you go put your pyjamas on, yeah? I'll make you a snack before bed." While they'd left at six, it was midnight in England, and Luke had to go to bed. The boy nodded, hurrying upstairs to his room, and Harry gratefully accepted a hug from his godfather. "Tony was at the gala," he began. "He recognised me as soon as he saw me — him and Pepper both did — and we went out on the balcony to talk. He kissed me, and I pushed him away, fully prepared to walk away and never see him again. It would've hurt like hell, but I would've done it." Remus urged him into the kitchen, sitting Harry at the table while he put some eggs on to boil.

"So why isn't that what happened?" Remus asked neutrally, and Harry's lips quirked in a wry half-smile.

"He turned up at my hotel room the next morning, met Luke, then decided to take us all out for the day," he explained. Remus made a soft 'ah' in comprehension, smiling faintly. "Of course, he was pissed when he found out about Luke, because he thought I'd slept with some woman just after getting back from Malibu. I… I couldn't let him go on thinking that, Moony, I couldn't. Especially not after seeing him with Luke. He's brilliant with him; I never would've imagined it. They get along so well, it's amazing," he enthused, beaming. "So I asked him to meet me in Central Park that night, snuck out from my hotel room, and explained everything. Magic, my past, Luke being his son, all of it."

"I assume he took it well?" Harry grinned, nodding.

"He was so happy to find out he had a son, you should've seen his face. He didn't even bat an eyelash at the magic stuff, he just wanted to know all about Luke. And he told me he loves me." Remus couldn't help but smile at the look on his pseudo-son's face. "We spent all of today together, too, and we're going to work things out with visiting. This is really happening, Remus. I'm really back together with Tony," Harry breathed, stunned. Remus rested his hands on Harry's shoulders, kissing the top of his head.

"I'm happy for you, cub. Really, I am," he said earnestly, and Harry bit his lip.

"But…"

"But I want you to be careful," Remus continued. "You're not the only one at stake in this relationship. You can't give Luke his other father if he's not going to stick around."

"Don't worry, Rem. I'm aware of all this, I won't be going into things lightly," Harry promised. "But I really do think this is going to work out this time."

"For your sake, cub, I hope it does, I really do. You've been in love with this man for nearly six years, there is nothing I want more than for you to be happy with him." Harry stood up, hugging Remus briefly before going to butter some bread to go with the eggs.

"How much damage control am I going to have to do, then?" he queried, and Remus sighed.

"Hopefully not too much. Most people want to hear your side of the story, first. I think everyone but Molly and Ginny will be happy for you; they'll just be worried about you, like I am." Harry nodded, having expected as much. He hoped Molly and Ginny could get over their problems soon, or it would cause a real rift in his relationship with them.

"Why do they hate him so much, Moons? I mean, it was hardly his fault, with Luke. He didn't even know it was possible." Remus shrugged, setting the eggs in eggcups and putting them on plates with the bread soldiers.

"If I'm honest, I think they were both always hoping you'd marry Ginny," he remarked, causing Harry to splutter.

"You what? Remus, I'm gay, they know I am," he pointed out, confused.

"Yes, but I think they realised that you'd never love anyone after Tony. Molly was always sighing about how awful it was that you were raising Luke on your own, and how nice it would be if you had someone to help you. I think Ginny thought you might marry her just to give Luke a second parent. I'm not saying it makes sense," Remus added quickly. "And I might be completely off-base, but that's just what I've picked up." Harry frowned, thinking it over. It would explain why Ginny always wanted to take Luke places and do stuff with him, and why she got annoyed when Luke clearly favoured his Weasley uncles over her. He'd have to keep an eye on her more closely.

"I'll take this up to Luke, then take mine and go to bed," Harry murmured, holding the two plates of egg and soldiers. Remus smiled, leaning down to kiss his cheek.

"Sleep well, cub. And I'm glad you're back with Tony," he added, making Harry smile.

"G'night, Rem." Padding in socked feet up the stairs, Harry nudged Luke's door open with his hip, smiling when he saw the boy sat up in bed, reading a book. Luke looked up when Harry entered, grinning at the sight of food. "Be careful, the yolk's runny," Harry warned, setting the plate in his son's lap. He took the chair beside the bed, resting his own food on his knee.

"Dad?" Luke piped up, and Harry raised an eyebrow. "Is Tony your boyfriend?" Harry froze, swallowing his mouthful of food.

"Would it, uh, bother you if he was?" he asked tentatively. Luke shrugged, licking egg yolk off his fingers.

"Not really. He's fun, and you smile more when he's there. But won't you be sad since he lives so far away?" Harry smiled at his son's simple reasoning.

"A little bit, but he's going to come visit us, and we can go over and see him in Malibu whenever we want. We'll see how things go at first, then maybe work on something a bit more permanent," he explained.

"Would we move to America?" Luke questioned.

"Maybe, pup. Maybe." Harry wished he could tell Luke the truth, but he wanted Tony to be there for it.

Luke finished his food quickly, so Harry sent him to brush his teeth and tucked him into bed, forgoing the usual story. Turning out the lights and pulling the door to, Harry crept over to his own room, collapsing happily on the bed. He barely had enough energy to drag himself through the shower and dry his hair, putting on some boxers and crawling into bed. However, once he was in bed, sleep wouldn't come to him. As ridiculous as it sounded, he missed having Tony there to cuddle up to, even though they'd only spent one night together since reuniting.

He grabbed his laptop off the bedside table and turned the lamp on, signing into Skype. He input Tony's username, smiling when he saw the man's icon immediately flash green. Clicking the video call button, he waited for it to connect, and smiled when the screen lit up with a view of Tony sprawled out on a couch in what was obviously his private jet. The billionaire looked up, grinning roguishly. "Well, hello, gorgeous. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Harry felt a faint flush rise on his cheeks when he realised he was shirtless, but it was nothing Tony hadn't seen before.

"I miss you and I can't sleep," he replied honestly, and Tony's grin softened.

"I miss you, too, green eyes. Pepper's had to stop me detouring the plane four times now," he remarked, making Harry chuckle.

"This whole long distance relationship thing is gonna suck, isn't it?" he realised, sighing. Tony hummed in agreement, frowning.

"Maybe it won't be long distance forever," he reasoned, shrugging. "Remind me to make you a new laptop; your picture quality is _terrible_." Harry laughed, rolling his eyes.

"It's fine for what I use it for," he insisted, but Tony shook his head.

"Sweetheart, you're naked on webcam. I want to be able to see every glorious pixel of it," he declared firmly. Harry blushed, shifting.

"I'm wearing boxers!" he pointed out, and Tony smirked.

"Yes, you definitely are." Harry frowned faintly; usually a look like that would result in him being pushed up against the nearest available surface and ravished. There would be none of that over webcam.

"Luke asked if you were my boyfriend, by the way," he added, smiling. "I asked if he'd mind if you were, and he said no, because you're fun and you make me smile." Tony grinned at the words, happiness obvious. "I want to tell him, Tony. But I want you to be here for it."

"Oh, thank God," Tony muttered. "I was worried you'd want to wait to tell him. My reputation is hardly glowing," he added derisively. Harry frowned; he hated when Tony put himself down.

"I don't care about your reputation," he insisted. "We both know it's mostly bullshit. And you're brilliant with Luke, of course I want to tell him you're his other father." He couldn't make up for waiting five years, but he could at least start making things right. He had a lot to make up for.

"I'll get Pepper to schedule me a weekend off as soon as I can," Tony promised. "I'll come over and see you and we can tell him then." Harry smiled, nodding, already excited for it. He wanted Tony to meet Remus, and for Luke to know about his other father.

"Sounds perfect." Harry shifted to lie back in bed, the laptop balanced on his stomach. "So how far are you from home?"

"About two hours," Tony replied, shrugging. "Isn't it gone midnight where you are?"

"Yeah, but like I said, I can't sleep," Harry reminded, biting his lip.

"I wish I was there to help tire you out," Tony told him, making Harry smirk.

"I wish you were here, too. But before you ask, I am not having Skype sex with you while you're on the jet where Pepper could walk in any minute," he added, watching Tony pout.

"Not even if I move us to the bedroom?" he suggested, already standing and carrying his laptop with him. Harry's eyebrows rose at the decadent bedroom; who the hell needed that much luxury on a jet? Tony, of course.

"I'm still not having Skype sex with you," Harry insisted, though he blushed when Tony stripped off his shirt and jeans.

"Just in case you change your mind," he replied teasingly, settling on the bed with his laptop, wearing only his boxers. "Now we're even." Harry was annoyed at how quickly his body responded to just the sight of Tony half-naked, determined to not let Tony see.

"What's your plan for the rest of the week, then?" he asked, hoping that if he imagined hard enough, it would seem like he and Tony were in bed together.

"Working on the Iron Man. Couple of meetings. Fix the Masserati I crashed last month. Work on some Stark Industries stuff. How about you?" Tony was making no effort to hide the growing bulge in his boxers, and it was definitely having an effect on Harry.

"Explain to every member of my family and friend group that while I'm back together with you, I'm not an idiot and I can trust you with this — Ginny blabbed as soon as she got home," he explained. "Other than that, not much really. Some paperwork for PotterCo, keep Luke entertained, I think I promised to take all the kids out for the day."

"Do they all think that lowly of me?" Tony asked with raised eyebrows, and Harry shrugged.

"No, but they're all pretty overprotective of me and Luke. Also, it depends exactly what Ginny has been saying about you. But hopefully it shouldn't take too much explaining." Tony frowned, but let it go, smirking wolfishly.

"Let me see your bedroom, then," he urged. "You've seen mine, now show me yours." Harry blushed at the innuendo, but obediently picked up the laptop showing Tony the room through the camera. "Not bad, not bad. The bed is nice; I can definitely see us making use of that when I visit. Headboard looks sturdy enough — should I bring handcuffs? Maybe silk scarves, would fit better with the decor." Harry was bright red as Tony spoke, though he couldn't stop his body from reacting to the words as his imagination ran riot.

"Tony," he whined, dragging out the name. "I'm trying to get to sleep, not stay awake even longer."

"Yeah, and you always wanted to sleep after evening sex," Tony retorted knowingly. Harry had to admit, he had a point. There was nothing Harry had loved more than going straight to sleep curled around Tony after incredible sex at night.

"Ugh, fine, I'll have a wank and go to bed," he muttered, cheeks red.

"Can I watch?" Tony asked hopefully, making him laugh.

"No," Harry retorted, watching his lover pout. "I'll talk to you soon, Tony. I love you."

"I'll get back to you tomorrow about the weekend off," Tony assured him, smiling. "Love you, too, gorgeous. Think of me," he added with a wink, and Harry smirked.

"Oh, don't worry, I will be. Goodnight." He hung up before Tony could respond, shutting down his laptop and setting it on the side. He crawled under the duvet, closing his eyes, but all that popped into his brain were images of him, Tony and the silk scarves. He groaned, but rolled onto his back, sliding a hand down into his boxers. He was just going to have to do what he'd told Tony he'd be doing, after all.


	19. Chapter 19

Two weeks later found Harry waiting impatiently at a small airfield in London, scanning the skies for any sign of Tony's private jet. He beamed widely when he saw it descending, standing far back enough to not get buffeted by the strong winds upon landing. He ran over as soon as the stairs went down, grin splitting his face when Tony appeared at the top. "Miss me, gorgeous?" the older man greeted, jogging down the stairs to meet him. Harry let out a yelp when Tony physically lifted him off the ground, capturing his lips in a hungry kiss. He wrapped his legs around his lover's hips, setting his hands on Tony's shoulders to steady himself as he kissed back.

"Of course I missed you," he murmured when they parted, smiling. "You've been working out," he added, squeezing Tony's biceps approvingly. Tony smirked, winking.

"All part of being Iron Man, green eyes. That armour is surprisingly heavy." He set Harry down on the ground, sliding an arm around his waist, and Harry leaned into his side. A flight attendant brought his bag down, and Tony took it with a smile of thanks. "I have a surprise for you," Tony told him, and Harry raised an eyebrow expectantly. "I told you I'm staying for two days; that was a lie. Pepper cleared my schedule for four." Harry gaped, then grinned widely, kissing him.

"Merlin, Pepper deserves a raise," he declared, making Tony snort.

"I already gave her one, trust me." Pepper was probably the most obscenely well-paid PA in the US, but she deserved every penny of it.

"We ready to go?" Harry asked, and Tony nodded, hitching his bag further up his shoulder. Harry grinned, leading him towards the parking lot. "Now, I'm about to introduce you to someone very special to me, and I want you to be nice to her." He almost laughed at the nervous look on Tony's face, which morphed into confusion when he saw the near-empty lot. Harry just took him by the hand, dragging him towards where he'd parked. Stopping, he rested a hand on the handlebars of the motorbike, grinning. "Tony, this is my gorgeous girl," he introduced, watching Tony relax when he realised Harry wasn't introducing him to a beloved family member.

"She's beautiful," Tony complimented, running a hand over the sleek blue body. "And vintage!"

"She was my godfather's," Harry explained. "Sirius left her to me when he died. I love her to pieces."

"Y'know, I could probably tweak her a little, get her running a little more smoothly," Tony started, eyes turning critical rather than admiring. "Switch out the wheels for something with a little more grip. She's gorgeous, but she could be better."

"I doubt that," Harry replied with a laugh, causing Tony to raise an eyebrow. "She can fly, go invisible, and shoot fire out of the tailpipe." Tony's jaw dropped, and he blinked.

"Oh, she's _perfect_ ," he gushed enviously. "You have to show me how."

"I'll take you out on her properly sometime this weekend, I promise," Harry vowed. "But for now, there's a very-nearly-five year-old boy at home waiting to see you." Tony's face lit up at the mention of Lucas, and he secured his bag to the back of the bike, waiting for Harry to mount it before sliding on behind him, arms wrapping around the younger man's waist. "Hold on tight, she's feisty," Harry warned, kicking the engine into gear. Tony whooped as the bike roared, and Harry grinned to himself, tearing out of the car park and onto the near-empty road.

"She runs like a dream for a vintage bike!" Tony complimented, and Harry laughed breathlessly, speeding even faster.

"She's been well taken care of!" he called in return, feeling Tony press tight against him as they leaned around a corner. He could get used to that.

The drive wasn't as long as he'd have liked, but both of them were grinning, breathless and more than a little turned on by the time Harry pulled into the garage of Grimmauld Place. "So, this is my place. It's a lot bigger than it looks, trust me," he added, tapping on the front door with one finger to get the magical locks, then pulling a key from his pocket for the muggle ones.

"Tony!" Luke exclaimed almost as soon as the man stepped through the door, barrelling into the American's legs. Tony grinned, dropping his bag in order to pick his son up, ruffling his hair.

"Hey, little man! Good to see you; have you been behaving for your dad?" Luke nodded earnestly, making Tony crack a smile. "That's what we like to hear." Tony kissed the boy's forehead, holding him easily with one arm. "I brought you a present, but you have to ask your dad if you can have it." Harry raised an eyebrow at his lover, and Luke turned large green puppy eyes on his father.

"Can I have my present, Dad, please?" he asked hopefully. Harry chuckled, smiling.

"Yeah, sure you can, pup." Tony set Luke back down on the floor so he could rifle through his bag, pulling out a sleek red hard-shell case with a zip.

"Open it up," he urged, passing it to Luke. Luke eagerly unzipped the case, eyes going round at the device inside. It looked a little like a handheld gaming console, though far more modern than anything Harry had ever seen. "I built it myself. It's a game centre, but don't worry, they're all educational," he assured Harry, showing Luke how to turn it on. "The developmental basics; reading, writing, counting, puzzle-solving, motor skills, logic and reasoning, coordination, pattern recognition. It's like those lame Disney laptop things, but a billion times more awesome." Harry watched as Luke started up a basic counting game, a grin on his face.

"You built a games console in two weeks? And designed the games?" he asked, and Tony shrugged.

"I had some free time. Besides, early birthday present," he replied nonchalantly. Harry rolled his eyes, tugging Tony into a warm kiss.

"He's going to be so spoilt with us as his parents," he murmured, making Tony grin.

"And you must be Tony." Tony immediately jumped back, straightening almost to military attention as Remus walked into the hallway from the living room.

"Yes sir," Tony answered meekly, making Harry snicker.

"You're scaring him, Moony," he remarked, and Remus smirked.

"Good," he replied, eyeing Tony apprehensively. "Remus Lupin, Harry's godfather," he introduced, holding out a hand for Tony to shake. Harry could see his pseudo-father's tight grip around Tony's hand, but Tony held his own. "Werewolf." That made Tony falter, and he gulped.

"Uh, yeah, I remember Harry mentioning about that," he said, looking both nervous and fascinated. "Does that really involve the whole change into a huge bloodthirsty beast on the full moon thing?"

"Oh yes," Remus told him, smirk widening. "So just beware, Harry and Lucas are all the pack I have left, and my wolf will not be very happy if they get hurt. I don't need to be in wolf form to make sure your body is never found, Mr Stark." Harry rolled his eyes, deciding to break them up.

"Oh, stop it, Remus. Tony, don't listen to him; Remus takes a potion to calm the wolf on moons, he's practically a puppy," he insisted. "He's just trying to freak you out, which, while very sweet, really isn't necessary," he added to his godfather with a pointed look. Remus shrugged, unrepentant.

"Just letting him know what he's in for." Harry huffed, rolling his eyes.

"He's harmless, Tony," he assured the American. "Honestly." Tony didn't look convinced, but forced himself to relax.

"What've you got there, cub?" Remus asked, peering over Luke's shoulder at the gaming device.

"Early birthday present from Tony. It's so cool!" he enthused, not looking up from the game in which he was shooting balloons with odd numbers on them. Remus raised an eyebrow at Tony, who smiled.

"I might not be able to make it to the party, but I wanted to give him his present myself," he explained. Remus nodded in approval, and Harry smiled.

"Come on, Tony, why don't we put your stuff upstairs," he suggested, grabbing Tony's bag and starting up the stairs. Tony nodded, following him to the master bedroom, letting out an impressed whistle when he saw how many flights the stairs went up.

"You're right, it is bigger than it looks. Magic?" he presumed, and Harry nodded. Nudging the door open to his bedroom, he tossed Tony's bag on the bed, grinning to himself at the fact that Tony was finally here, in England, with him. "Very nice. I see I was right about the headboard," Tony added, walking past Harry to pull on the wooden frame experimentally. Harry blushed, but wound an arm around Tony's waist, pulling him closer.

"I've missed you," he murmured, watching Tony's eyes darken.

"I've missed you too, gorgeous. And I plan to get very, very well reacquainted with you tonight," he promised, nipping at Harry's lower lip.

"I can't wait," Harry retorted, leaning into him for a languid kiss, full of promise for later. "We should get downstairs," he said with a sigh, head against Tony's shoulder. "It'll be dinner soon."

"Sure, just, let me…" Tony held him tighter, lips pressed to his neck, and Harry hugged back, understanding the feeling. Two weeks separation was painful.

Eventually, they broke apart, and Harry slid his hand into Tony's, leading him back downstairs. "I'll give you the proper tour tomorrow," he promised, showing Tony to the kitchen. Luke was sat at the table, happily engrossed in his game, and Remus was stirring a pot on the stove. "Make yourself at home, Tony. Though unfortunately, no JARVIS here," Harry added teasingly. Tony mock-pouted, then tapped his watch.

"Portable JARVIS. If I need him, he's here." Harry rolled his eyes; he should've expected as much.

"Just don't tell me you brought the suit with you."

"Of course not," Tony replied, shaking his head. "I told Pep, no crime-fighting while I'm in England. If there's a problem, someone else can solve it. SHIELD, or the X-Men, or even Reed Richards for all I care. I am officially off-duty." Harry smiled in satisfaction, squeezing Tony's hand briefly. It couldn't be easy for him to be detached from the Iron Man so firmly like that. But from what he'd heard of SHIELD from Tony, they could handle things.

"Cub, turn your game off please, dinner's ready," Remus requested, plating up four servings of lamb casserole and mashed potatoes. Luke sighed, but obediently saved and turned off, setting the console carefully in its red case. Harry stood to get drinks, and Tony smiled in thanks when Remus set a plate in front of him.

Harry was somewhat nervous throughout dinner, knowing what was coming after it; he and Tony had to talk to Luke. Thankfully, the boy didn't seem to pick up on the tension, happily telling Tony about everything he'd done in the past two weeks since arriving home from New York. When dinner was over, Harry glanced at Tony, knowing they couldn't hold it off much longer. "Pup, would you mind coming up to your room for a bit, please? Tony and I have to talk to you about something very important."

"Am I in trouble?" Luke asked instantly, making Harry crack a smile.

"No, you're not in any trouble. Come on, we'll explain upstairs." Remus mouthed 'good luck' to him on their way out of the kitchen, and Tony took his hand, squeezing it tightly. Harry squeezed back, equally nervous. Luke sat on his bed with a frown when they got to his bedroom, and Harry sat opposite him, Tony at his side. "Merlin, where do I start," Harry sighed, leaning into Tony for support. "You know when you asked about your other dad, pup? And I said he was a very busy man who loved you very much, but couldn't be with us?" Tony felt a pang in his heart at that; if he'd known sooner, he would've been with them! "Well… nearly six years ago, your uncles bought me a ticket to Malibu for my seventeenth birthday. I went out there on my own, and on my second day there, I met Tony." He smiled at the older man, remembering their meeting fondly. "We fell in love while I was out there, but we were silly and didn't tell each other, so I went home after two weeks. And, well, nine months later, you were born." Luke's face scrunched up in confusion as he processed the information. "Tony is your other father, love. And I'm so, so sorry it's taken five years for you to meet him."

"But… if you knew you were having me, why didn't you stay with Tony?" Luke asked, perplexed.

"I didn't know I was having you until after I'd already left, and I thought it was too late. But Tony didn't know about magic, and I didn't know if he wanted to be a father, and I was scared, so I didn't tell him. I regret that now, but it's too late to change it." Harry wished he had, but he couldn't fix past mistakes.

"So you didn't know about me?" Luke questioned Tony, who shook his head.

"Not until two weeks ago, in New York," he confirmed. "And kiddo, I swear, if I'd known I would have been there for you since birth; I would have done anything to get your dad to stay with me. I love him, buddy, and I love you, so much."

"Are you coming to live with us now?" Harry bit his lip at Luke's question, frowning.

"We haven't decided yet who's going to live where," he told his son slowly. "But I promise we'll talk everything over with you before we make any decisions. It's all a bit unknown, pup, but we're gonna try and do what's best for all of us." Luke was quiet for several moments, and Harry squeezed Tony's hand, feeling him practically shake with nerves. The boy opened his mouth, then closed it again, biting his lip. "What is it, pup? You can tell us anything; if this is too fast for you, that's fine, we'll back up a little." Luke shook his head, eyes fixed on Tony with an understanding far beyond his nearly-five years of age.

"Can I… can I call you Papa?" he asked hopefully. Harry watched as Tony swallowed the lump in his throat, blinking suspiciously often.

"Yeah," he replied, voice somewhat husky. "Luke, kiddo, there is nothing I would like more than to be your Papa." Luke beamed, crawling across the bed to hug Tony around the waist. Tony wrapped his arms around his son, pressing his lips to the boy's jet-black hair. "I love you, Lucas. I'm sorry I haven't been around before now."

"S'okay, Papa. You didn't know. And thank you for my game," he added, smiling. Tony chuckled, the sound somewhat wet, kissing his hair once more.

"You're welcome, kid, I'm glad you like it." Harry felt fit to burst with happiness, watching Luke and Tony finally connect as father and son. The fact that Luke didn't blame either of them for not saying anything earlier was a weight off his shoulders. Seeing Tony was starting to lose the battle against tears, Harry squeezed his son's shoulder to get his attention.

"Why don't you play your game a little longer, pup? It's bedtime in half an hour, we'll come tuck you in then, yeah?" Luke nodded, removing himself from Tony's lap, and the two adults stood, Harry taking Tony's hand to lead him out of the room. They went straight to Harry's room two doors down, and Harry closed the door behind them, hugging Tony tightly as he felt the man's shoulders shake. "You okay, love?" he asked, and Tony nodded, taking a deep breath.

"He called me Papa," he breathed, awed. Harry smiled, kissing Tony's jaw.

"You are his Papa," he pointed out, smiling. "And he loves you already. I think that went very well, don't you?" Tony nodded, still trying to regain his composure. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Tony insisted. "Just… never thought I'd ever be called Papa."

"Well you'd better get used to it," he added teasingly. He ran his hands through Tony's hair, wiping the few tears off his cheeks, and Tony huffed out a laugh, leaning in for a kiss.

"Thank you," he murmured, pressing his forehead to Harry's. "Thank you, for telling me. You didn't have to. You could've said goodbye to me in New York and walked away, but you didn't, and you gave me a _family_ , so thank you." Harry rolled his eyes, taking Tony's hands in his own.

"We're not a family without you," he replied earnestly. "It took some time to see it, but… I know that now. And you're wrong, I couldn't have said goodbye and walked away in New York. It would've killed me to do it twice in once lifetime." Tony smiled at him, kissing him once more.

"If we hadn't promised to put Luke to bed in half an hour, I'd have you naked on that bed right now," he growled, making Harry laugh.

"We can always go to bed early?" he suggested innocently. "I'm sure Remus won't mind." Tony smirked, briefly grabbing Harry's ass.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," he murmured. Harry snickered, moving Tony's hand.

"You would," he retorted. "Come on, let's go let Remus know that everything went fine, then we can put the kid to bed." Tony sighed, but nodded, pulling away, and Harry tugged him out of the bedroom by the hand. Remus was in the living room when they got downstairs, and he smiled when Harry beamed at him. "He took it well," he assured happily. "No tears, no accusations, just acceptance and a few questions about where we'll live. I think he's thinking it over. And he's calling Tony 'Papa'," he added, barely able to contain his excitement. Remus smiled knowingly at the last sentence, nodding towards Tony.

"Welcome to the family, then, Tony. I'm sure you'll fit in wonderfully." Harry snorted, making Tony raise an eyebrow.

"He just called you crazy, love," he explained, and Tony laughed.

"Well, if the shoe fits…" he trailed off, allowing Harry to tug him down onto the sofa, manhandling him into cuddling position.

"Ron and Hermione are coming over tomorrow," Harry told his lover, who nodded slowly, obviously apprehensive. "Don't freak out; you and Hermione are kindred spirits, you'll get along just fine, and Ron likes pretty much everyone. But the rest of the family don't know you're here, and there's a very good reason for that." Tony snorted, amused.

"Then thank you, for not letting me get mobbed by relatives on my first visit." Harry smiled sweetly, kissing Tony's cheek.

"You're welcome. That's for next time you come over," he added, watching Tony pale.

"Don't worry, Tony. It's really only Ginny and Molly you'll have to worry about, and you've already met Ginny," Remus pointed out encouragingly. Tony grimaced, and Harry laughed, glancing at his watch.

"We're gonna go put pup to bed and then head to bed ourselves, Moons, so we'll see you in the morning," he declared, getting to his feet and determinedly ignoring his godfather's knowing look. Going to hug the werewolf, he kissed his cheek, smiling.

"Use a silencing charm," Remus murmured, making Harry turn bright red.

"Don't worry, I will," he replied, pulling away. "Night, Remus."

"Love you, cub. Goodnight, Tony," Remus added, smiling at the American.

"G'night," Tony replied, walking with Harry up to Lucas' bedroom. The boy was sprawled on the floor, still playing his Stark-tech console.

"Bedtime, pup," Harry declared, earning a whine from the four year-old.

"Ten more minutes, Dad," he pleaded, and Harry chuckled.

"No, bed," he insisted gently. "Go on, save your game and go brush your teeth." Luke sighed, but nodded, turning the game off and putting the console in its case, setting it carefully on his shelf. He raced out into the bathroom, and Harry bent down to pick up some toys, placing them in the toybox. Tony took the opportunity to look around the room, trying to get an idea of what Luke was like through his things. The room was decorated in red and gold — a colour scheme Tony definitely approved of — and his shelves made it look like the room belonged to a seven or eight year old, rather than a boy who wasn't yet five. He smiled proudly, seeing the multitude of books; his kid was going to be a genius, he knew it. Whether he was a magical or mechanical genius, well, that would show in time. With Harry and Tony as his parents, either was very likely, or possibly even both.

Luke returned, changing into his pyjamas quickly and grabbing a book off his bedside table, thrusting it towards Harry. "Please, Dad," he urged hopefully, and Harry smiled.

"Alright; two chapters, then sleep, alright?" Luke cheered, and Tony watched in amusement as Harry sat on the bed, Luke tucking himself under his father's arm in order to see the pages of the book — The Chronicles of Narnia, Tony saw. Good choice. Sitting in the chair beside the bed, Tony watched the duo, surprised when Luke trailed a finger along the page as his dad read, clearly reading alongside. Definitely a genius.

Tony was happy to sit and listen to Harry's voice as he read through Prince Caspian, and was almost as disappointed as Luke was when two chapters were over. "Come on, bratling, you need to sleep," Harry said lightly, bookmarking his page and setting the book aside, getting off the bed so Luke could settle down properly. Leaning over, Harry kissed his son's forehead, stroking his hair. "G'night, love."

"Night, Dad. Night, Papa," he murmured, stifling a yawn. Tony jolted at the words, an instinctive smile tugging at his lips. He copied Harry's actions, kissing Luke's forehead.

"Goodnight, little man. Sleep tight." Turning on Luke's night-light and getting the lights, Harry and Tony left the room, both smiling.

"Bed?" Harry suggested, a thrill shooting down his spine at the look in Tony's eyes. Tony nodded, following Harry wordlessly to the bedroom. Harry threw up a silencing charm as soon as he had the door closed, tugging his t-shirt over his head with ease, smiling when Tony's mouth immediately latched onto his collarbone.

"God, you're gorgeous," Tony murmured, pushing Harry back on the bed as the wizard's fingers worked at Tony's shirt buttons. "So perfect. Fucking father of my _child_ ," he breathed, grinning. "I am so turned on by you right now."

"Then you wanna do something about it? Because you're not the only one," Harry retorted, bucking up into him for emphasis as he pushed Tony's shirt off his shoulders, the glow of the Arc Reactor shining through his thin black vest. Tony pulled that off, leaving himself bare-chested, and Harry couldn't resist the urge to touch. His fingers ran lovingly over the metal device first, and he watched Tony shudder as his hands moved from metal to flesh. His denim-clad legs clamped tightly around Tony's, and the man groaned in pleasure. "Fuck, Tony, I need you," Harry wheedled, grabbing at their jeans and fumbling with Tony's fly. Tony smirked, ducking his head, sucking a dark red lovebite just above Harry's left nipple.

"Uh, uh, uh," he teased. "Patience, bright eyes. We have all night, and I wanna make this last." Harry moaned happily, surrendering to Tony's touch, preparing himself for a long night of intense pleasure. God, two weeks without Tony was far, far too long.


	20. Chapter 20

Tony woke slowly, which surprised him; usually his brain jolted him awake with all the sensitivity of a slap to the face. He then realised that he wasn't at home, and he wasn't alone, and smiled to himself when it clicked whose bed he was in. Harry was still fast asleep, curled up on Tony's chest with one hand over the Arc Reactor, as if protecting it. It still amazed Tony; no one had ever treated the Reactor the way Harry had before. He'd slept with people who refused to touch it, and people who seemed a little too into it, but Harry was the only one who treated it as if it were a part of Tony himself, and a part to be cherished. He kissed and caressed the metal the same as he did the skin, and seemed to enjoy listening to it humming. If it meant having Harry curled up on his chest, Tony wasn't going to argue.

He very quickly became aware of an urgent pressure in his bladder, and grimaced; so much for not waking Harry. Attempting to shift the younger man off him, he swore when Harry cracked an eye open, frowning at him. "What's the matter?" he asked groggily, pressing a barely-there kiss to Tony's chest.

"Bathroom," Tony explained, and Harry nodded in understanding.

"Door on your right," he replied, shuffling off Tony's chest and cuddling up with the pillow instead. Tony reluctantly rose from the bed, padding across the room in his boxers to the bathroom, relieving himself quickly and hurrying back to the bedroom. Harry was more awake when he returned, and smiled happily at him, eyes soft with sleep. "Morning, gorgeous," he murmured, pulling Tony into a kiss. Tony grinned, kissing back eagerly. He still wasn't used to that, having _his_ Evan back, being able to confidently say that he loved the person he was sleeping with. It was a novelty for him.

"Good morning, beautiful," he replied, crawling back into bed and pulling Harry into his arms. "What time are your friends coming over?"

"Not until the afternoon," Harry assured, head resting on Tony's muscled shoulder.

"Oh, good," Tony sighed, making Harry snort. "I guess we have to get up before the kid wakes up, huh?" Harry nodded, reluctantly emerging from under the covers, and wandered through to the bathroom.

"Shower's big enough for two, Tony!" he called behind him, and Tony immediately bolted out of bed, following.

.-.-.

By lunch time, Tony was pacing the living room, and Harry had given up trying to get him to calm down. He could reassure Tony as much as he liked that Ron and Hermione were fine with him, but he was still nervous. If Harry's friends hated him, he was screwed. "Relax, love," Harry murmured, hands gently massaging Tony's shoulders. "They're not going to murder you." The doorbell rang, and Harry grinned, even as Tony's stomach churned. "Back in a sec," the Brit murmured, kissing Tony's cheek and darting off. Tony could hear the commotion in the hallway as Harry greeted his friends, and forced himself to calm down. He was Tony Stark, damn it; nothing made him nervous. Except, apparently, meeting his lover's best friends.

"Come on through to the living room, you can meet Tony," Harry said brightly, and Tony squared his shoulders, plastering on his confident facade. Ron and Hermione walked in behind Harry, and Tony's eyebrows rose at the little girl in his lover's arms. He hadn't been told about that. "Ron, Hermione, this is Tony. Tony, meet my best friends, Ron and Hermione. And, of course, little Rosie," Harry added, grinning as he tugged playfully on one of the girl's fiery red curls. Tony had to admit, she was adorable.

"Oh my God it's like Pepper as a kid," he declared, making Harry snort and roll his eyes. "Pleasure to meet you." Tony held out a hand to Ron, who shook it firmly.

"We've heard many things about you," Ron told him, and Tony winced.

"All bad, I assume?" he replied wryly. Ron laughed, and Tony moved to bring Hermione's hand to his lips.

"Bad if you look at the media. Bloody brilliant if you listen to this lovestruck fool here," Ron teased, nudging Harry's shoulder as the shorter man went bright red. Tony winked at his boyfriend, giving his best charming smile to Hermione.

"Well I assure you, I've heard only wonderful things about you both," he replied. Hermione smiled at him, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Then Harry's clearly been lying to you," she retorted with a giggle. "It's nice to meet you, Mr Stark."

"Please, call me Tony," Tony insisted.

"Then Ron and Hermione, please. Mr and Mrs Weasley are his parents," Hermione told him, gesturing to her husband. "Harry, are we ever going to get our daughter back?" she asked with a fond sigh, watching her friend tickling Rose's stomach. Harry shook his head stubbornly, kissing her head.

"Nope, never. Mine now," he declared firmly.

"Where is yours, anyway?" Ron queried, sinking onto the couch.

"Up with Remus," Harry replied, and Ron nodded in understanding. "He should be down in a bit, though." Apparently Luke regularly had time with Remus, learning some sort of meditation technique to keep his magic in check, or something. Tony didn't understand it, but the way Harry explained it, the little boy was overflowing with magical energy, and the earlier he learned to control it, the better.

"Good, we can talk, then. Tony, I assume we don't have to tell you that Iron Man or not, we won't hesitate to kill you if you ever hurt Harry. We don't blame you for what happened six years ago — it was Harry's fault more than yours, the moron should've told you — but your reputation has hardly been… stellar ever since," Hermione added with a frown. Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat beside Harry.

"Trust me, I know," he replied, smiling when Harry's hand squeezed his knee briefly. "I'm not proud of myself for what I've done between meeting Harry the first time and finding him again in New York." There had been times, when the palladium poisoning had been really bad, that he'd debated going to England and finding Evan himself. He'd picked up another bottle of scotch instead, and he regretted that every day.

"Tony, you don't have to explain yourself," Harry murmured, and Tony placed a hand over the Brit's.

"I think it's pretty self-explanatory, green eyes," he retorted dryly. Looking back up at Ron and Hermione, he tried to look as honest as possible "That part of my life is over. I have other priorities now." Hermione smiled approvingly, and he hoped that meant he'd given the right answer.

"Then I think we'll get along just fine," Ron assured him, nodding shortly. "Keep making Harry and Luke happy, and we won't have any problems." Tony smiled, glancing sideways at Harry, who was still absorbed in playing with Rose.

"I can do that." He squeezed Harry's hand, and the Brit gave him a brief, warm smile.

"I have to ask, Tony; what exactly is the Reactor in your chest?" Hermione queried, and Ron groaned as her face grew inquisitive.

"Here we go. Hermione in research mode, everyone run," he teased, earning a swat from his wife.

"It's basically a very small, very powerful nuclear reactor that creates a magnetic field to keep tiny pieces of shrapnel from piercing my heart. It also powers the Iron Man, and I'm working on a bigger version for my New York tower that'll be the most effective source of clean, self-sustaining energy ever created," Tony explained, not wanting to give too much away; he trusted Harry's friends, but when the little device was the only thing keeping him alive, it was better if no one else knew much about it. Ron let out an impressed whistle, but Hermione scowled.

"Oh, Harry, you idiot! Don't you realise how dangerous that could be?" she exclaimed, and Tony frowned.

"Hey, just because it's a nuclear reactor doesn't mean it's going to blow; it's all perfectly safe," he insisted, but Hermione shook her head.

"Not for Harry, for you! He hasn't explained, has he?" Tony looked at her, puzzled, and Harry looked up.

"It's not needed, Hermione. I barely use my magic anyway, it's not a problem," Harry told her, causing the brunette witch to huff in irritation.

"That's not the point, Harry. What if you lose control and it escapes you? Or what if you forget, and try and apparate with Tony? Hell, what about when Luke starts getting bursts of accidental magic? He can meditate as much as he likes, but it's going to happen," she reasoned.

"Whoa, whoa, back up. I don't say this often, but I'm lost," Tony cut in, looking between the two.

"Large bursts of magic can disrupt and destroy electrical items," Hermione explained. "It's why most wizards don't have things like computers or televisions; one misdirected spell, or burst of accidental magic, and it goes boom. If Harry gets angry, or upset, and loses control of his magic… it could kill you, Tony." Her voice was soft, apologetic, but Tony didn't really hear her. His brain had already connected the dots; being around magic was dangerous for him.

"There has to be a way around it," he insisted. He wasn't going to let a stupid little thing like possible death stop him from being with Harry. "Magic is just another form of energy, right? All energy can be converted into other forms of energy." He reached out on instinct, before realising that he wasn't at home, and didn't have his screens around him. "Damn it. JARVIS," he pressed the button on his watch, waking the AI. "Mental note, research transforming magic into electricity."

"Yes, sir," JARVIS replied, surprising Ron and Hermione. Harry smirked, giving Tony a fond look.

"That'll keep you plenty busy for a while. Trust me, if there were an easy solution I'd have found it already," he pointed out. "Sirius' work on the bike is probably as close as I know anyone's gotten, and even then she's only receptive to the spells he placed on her. Any other magic and she breaks." He didn't count Arthur's work on the Ford Anglia back when he was a kid; giving Tony's Arc Reactor its own personality was the last thing in the world they wanted.

Tony grinned at the challenge, raising an eyebrow. "Harry, I love you, but my brain is bigger than yours," he replied frankly, making the younger man snicker. His fingers were twitching, eager to work on something, and Harry captured his hands in his own.

"Hermione, take Tony down to the basement, and show him all my notes on magical energy. If anyone can figure out a way, it's you two, and don't hesitate to yell for me if you need any help," he urged, glancing at his best friend. Leaning up, he pressed a kiss to Tony's lips. "You'll sort something out. And I don't use my magic very often, certainly not enough to trigger the Reactor. We can work around this."

"What's in the basement?" Tony asked in interest, following Hermione as she walked through to the hallway. She opened a door underneath the stairwell, grinning at him.

"Harry's spellcrafting room. Think of it like your workshop, but for magic and spells. Let's see what we can do." She held the door open for him, and he smirked at her.

"I think I'm going to like you, Hermione."

.-.-.

Harry came and dragged them both out of the basement after a few hours, insisting that they couldn't stay down there forever. Still, it had been enough time for Tony to get a grip on magical theory, and jot down a few ideas. Harry's notes on the subject, though they had been made several years ago, were invaluable to help him on his way. Hermione still seemed to have more of an idea than he did, and was convinced that it would be possible to create a spell to convert magical energy into electrical energy, therefore making the tech 'magic-safe', so to speak. They could both see that the only major problem would be getting the spell onto the machinery without blowing it.

Wandering back into the living room, Tony leaned in the doorway, smiling to himself. Lucas was on the floor with Ron, while Remus sat in the armchair with Rose on his lap. His son had an action figure in his hand and was making it fly around the room, and Tony's smile widened when he realised who the action figure was. "Iron Man saves the day!" Lucas exclaimed, jumping up onto the sofa to make Iron Man fly higher. "And Von Doom is defeated!" Looking over at Ron, he saw the tall man with a Von Doom figure in his hand, making him lie flat on the floor.

"Iron Man saves the day, huh?" he asked, drawing the boy's attention to him. "Sounds about right."

"Papa!" Luke cried happily, jumping back down to hug him around the knees, showing him the Iron Man figure. "Wanna see my Iron Man?" Tony lifted the four year-old up with ease, taking the action figure from him to study it. It was one of the better ones — for the most part, correct, though the Arc Reactor was too big and the face-plate didn't open.

"He's pretty cool. He your favourite superhero?" he asked curiously, and Luke nodded, then bit his lip.

"Him and Captain America. He's awesome too," he replied, making Tony grin. His dad would be pretty proud of that endorsement.

"Yeah, Captain America was my favourite superhero when I was your age." Except it was even more of an obsession, because he had all his dad's old stories, and the hope of 'one day, son, we might just find him'. It turned into a resentment through his teenage years, but he'd gotten over that, for the most part. Cap couldn't help it that Howard turned into a jackass after the war. Luke squirmed to get down, and Tony set him on the floor, watching as the boy ran over to a small box full of action figures. Captain America laid with the Starship Enterprise and The Doctor and several dragons that moved, Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sharing box space with about six different Iron Man figures, and even what looked like a couple of Barbie dolls. It made him happy that Harry seemed to give the boy a non-magical childhood just as much as a magical one; there were some things all kids could enjoy, regardless of extra powers.

"Here," Luke offered, holding out his Captain America toy. "You can help Iron Man fight the Daleks with Captain America." Tony grinned, only hesitating for a moment before taking the toy, sitting cross-legged on the floor and offering Ron an amused look as the redhead dug three Dalek toys out of the box.

"Make it a quick one, pup; it's dinner in a minute." Luke pouted at Remus' words, but nodded, and Tony was transported back to his own childhood as he helped Cap and Iron Man fight the evil alien robots. He definitely knew what he'd be showing Lucas the first time they came out to Malibu.

When the universe had been saved, Tony grabbed Luke around the waist and threw the giggling boy over his shoulder, carrying him into the kitchen to sit him in his usual seat. Harry walked in behind them, clearly amused, and Tony offered him a quick grin. It was crazy how much he loved the whole 'being a parent' thing; he'd spent his whole adult life convinced it would be the one thing in the world he'd completely fail at.

Watching Hermione try and feed Rose made Tony somewhat glad he'd missed the 'terrible twos' of Lucas' life; the stubborn girl got more food on the walls and floor than she did in her mouth. "Pass her here, 'Mi," Harry urged, switching seats with Ron in order to be next to the girl. Immediately, the toddler brightened up, and didn't fuss in the slightest as Harry fed her.

"That's just not fair," Ron complained as Harry fed Rose the last piece of chicken on her plate, kissing her forehead and moving back to his own seat.

"It's fair," Harry insisted. "She just loves me more than you." Tony snorted at the smug look on his lover's face, and laughed when Hermione swatted the Brit.

"We'll bring her round here when she starts screaming from cutting another tooth, then, yeah?" she threatened. Harry rolled his eyes, jerking a thumb at Luke.

"Dealt with it all before, remember? She can't be worse than wonder-lungs over there." Tony felt a pang, wishing he could comment; wishing he'd known what Lucas had been like as a toddler. A brat, if the Stark genes ran true.

"So how did the research go, then?" Harry queried once dessert had been served, the kids happily engrossed in their food.

"I think we're onto a good start," Hermione replied, smiling. "I'm going to do some experimentation and get back to Tony on it, and he's going to build me some dummies to test things on." Harry nodded, smiling.

"That'll keep you occupied, then, yeah?" he added to Tony, who smirked, nodding. Harry turned back to Ron and Hermione, raising an eyebrow at them. "What's the verdict? Can I keep him?" Ron and Hermione shared an amused look, and Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Just remember to feed him, and clean his cage, and walk him every day," he started, breaking off into laughter when Harry whacked him. "Yeah, mate, you can keep him. He's a decent bloke, and Luke seems to like him."

"Just don't blow up the Arc Reactor, for Merlin's sake," Hermione cut in, giving him a pointed glance.

"I won't! No magic until we've thought of a solution," Harry promised. Hermione smiled in approval, getting to her feet.

"We'd better get going," she declared, picking Rose up out of the high chair. "This one will start getting sleepy soon." Harry sighed, taking the little girl from her mother's arms.

"I suppose you're right. I'll see you soon, sweetheart," he said to Rose, kissing her hair. She grinned at him, giving him a wet kiss in return. "Good to see you, mate," Harry murmured, passing Rose back to Hermione in order to hug Ron.

"You'll be over for dinner on Friday, right?" the redhead confirmed, and Harry nodded.

"Couldn't keep us away. See you, Hermione." The witch hugged her best friend tightly, kissing Harry's cheek.

"See you Friday," she replied, smiling. "It's lovely to finally have met you, Tony. I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of each other in the future, and I'll get back to you about the spell." Tony leaned in, kissing her cheek, then kissing Rose's head.

"Definitely, to all of those. I look forward to hearing what you come up with," he replied, surprisingly sincere. Hermione's mind was really quite something. He shook Ron's hand, smiling faintly at the redhead. "Maybe next time you'll have better luck taking over the universe," he consoled, and Ron snorted.

"With Luke running the show? Not a chance," he pointed out. "See you soon, Tony, it was nice meeting you."

"And you." Harry took Luke to go show them out, leaving Tony in the kitchen with Remus. He helped the werewolf pile up the dishes, and Remus smiled at him.

"Looks like you've got their approval, then. That's two more people on your side for the inevitable Weasley family meeting," he said, and Tony frowned; were the Weasley family really that terrifying?

"First the Weasleys, then the world," he joked, making Remus snort. When Harry returned, it was without Luke, though Tony could hear little feet thumping up the stairs.

"Well, that went well, don't you think?" Harry sighed, winding an arm around Tony's waist. Tony kissed his temple, smiling.

"I like them. Hermione's smart," Tony said, and Harry grinned. That wasn't a compliment Tony gave often.

"I knew you'd get on well with her. I can't believe I didn't think about the Arc Reactor meshing badly with magic, though. You could've been hurt," he added, frowning. Tony carded a hand soothingly through Harry's hair, squeezing him briefly.

"You barely use your magic, it wasn't relevant to you," he pointed out. "Besides, I think we'll be able to work something out. Don't worry about it." Harry sighed, leaning into Tony's touch.

"Still, there's so much we haven't talked about that needs to be said. We need to think about where we're going to live; I can run PotterCo from anywhere. You need to be in America to run Stark Industries."

"Why don't I put Luke to bed tonight?" Remus suggested softly, reminding the pair that they weren't alone. "It's obvious you two need to have a bit of a discussion."

"Probably for the best," Harry agreed, moving over to hug Remus goodnight. "Thanks, Moony." Silently, Harry and Tony went up to Harry's room, and Harry let out a sigh when the door was closed. "So, how are we going to do this?" Tony sat on the bed beside Harry, leaning against the headboard.

"I changed the schematics of Stark Tower a little bit," Tony admitted. "Just on the floor that was going to be mine. Nothing major; a room for Lucas, a playroom, making things a little more family-friendly. The contractors have it and are working on things. Access to the other floors will, of course, be monitored by JARVIS, so we don't have little hands getting at the rocket boosters." Harry looked at him, eyebrow raised.

"When did you do that, then?" he asked, curious.

"Designed it two weeks ago, submitted the changes last week. My contractors are used to things changing during the construction process," Tony replied nonchalantly. It wasn't the first time he'd changed his mind about the design, and was relatively minor compared to his other changes. "I was serious when I said I want you and Luke to move in with me." Harry smiled, kissing his jaw.

"Thank you," he said softly, making Tony smile. "But Stark Tower won't be done for seven months yet, you said. I'd like to have something in place a little sooner than that."

"We'll figure something out," Tony insisted. "Just trust me, gorgeous." He placed a kiss on Harry's temple, dragging his lips down the man's cheek and meeting Harry's lips, feeling the younger man hum into the kiss.

"Tony, we're meant to be talking," Harry pointed out, but Tony smirked, hand sliding underneath Harry's t-shirt.

"We can talk when I'm in Malibu, we can't do this," he retorted, tweaking Harry's nipple and being rewarded with a low moan. "Let me make the most of this, gorgeous." Harry sighed, hand reaching up to Tony's shirt buttons, and the billionaire knew he'd gotten his point across. Grinning, Tony moved to straddle his lover, Harry arching into him without hesitation. Damn, he'd never get tired of that.


	21. Chapter 21

Harry was stunned when Tony admitted he'd never been a tourist in London. Apparently, the few times he'd been, he'd only been there for a meeting, or an event, and hadn't had any free time to explore the city. "Well, that's what we'll do today, then," Harry declared, making Luke grin into his cereal.

"We're going into London?" the boy asked, and Harry nodded, snickering when Luke cheered.

"Anything in particular you want to see?" Harry asked Tony, leaning against the counter. Tony shrugged, humming thoughtfully.

"Not really. The usual sorts of things, I suppose. London Eye, Tower Bridge, all those fancy monuments you guys have. I don't know; you're the native, you decide." Snorting, Harry gave his partner an amused look.

"I was born in Wales, raised in Surrey and spent seven years in the Scottish Highlands, love. I'd hardly call myself a native," he pointed out wryly.

"More of a native than I am," Tony retorted, pinching him playfully on the ass as he moved past him to refill his coffee.

"Well, while we're in town, I need to drop in the office and pick up some paperwork, if that's okay. It won't take long, I promise," Harry assured, though Luke bounced in his chair at the mention.

"Yeah! Dad's office!" he crowed happily, making Harry laugh as Tony's eyebrows rose.

"Luke likes coming to work with me," the Brit confided, and Tony huffed, arms folding over his chest.

"Bet my offices are cooler," he muttered. Harry rolled his eyes, kissing the man's jaw briefly.

"You'll get to see for yourself, won't you. You'll have to stick to the muggle offices for now, though, just to be safe. I'll take you to the magical ones when we've fixed that little problem; they're the ones Luke gets excited about. They're really not that special, though. I'm sure as soon as he sees one of your labs he'll be won over for good." Harry chuckled at the smug expression on his partner's face, and soon the three of them were fed, dressed and ready to leave. Remus, well into the first draft of his newest textbook, waved a distracted goodbye from the middle of his circle of reference notes.

With Lucas' hand securely in his own, Harry slid an arm around Tony's waist as they walked, the morning still early enough to be a little chilly. Still, the sky was clear and it looked to be a dry day, so he wasn't going to complain. "Where are your offices, anyway?" Tony asked curiously, both of them keeping an eye on their son as he squirmed from Harry's grasp to run on ahead a little bit, obediently staying where they could see him.

"Canary Wharf," Harry replied. "Public enough for decent business amongst muggles, with one hell of a basement for the parts that can't be seen by anyone off the street. And there's a few smaller buildings all over; I've got one in Diagon Alley that a friend of mine keeps in check." He grinned, gaze flicking down to the Arc Reactor. "That's another place I'll have to take you once you're magic safe. You'll love Diagon, and I can take you to the twins' shop. Don't worry, Fred and George are on my side, they'll love you. They're inventors, they have a joke shop."

"Awesome," Tony declared, a smirk at his lips. "I like them already. And can any of these jokes be used in public? Because damn, I've been looking for ways to keep some of my R&D monkeys on their toes. Don't know what I pay them for; I'm doing all the work." Harry chuckled, running over a mental catalogue of all the twins' products.

"I don't know, but I'll ask. And I'm sure once I've mentioned it, they'll take it as a challenge and there'll be a whole range of muggle-safe products before summer starts," he added wryly, knowing how much the twins loved branching out. To be able to give magical pranks to muggleborns and halfbloods that they could use in the summer without getting in trouble was a brilliant idea.

"I look forward to it, then." Suddenly, Harry paused at the side of the road, calling Lucas back to him and sticking a hand in the air. "Wait, we're getting a cab?" Tony asked, bewildered, and Harry couldn't help but snort.

"Well, unless you want to walk or get the tube," he pointed out wryly. "I don't have a car, we can't fit all three of us on the bike, and I can't apparate with you. We're a little slim on options, love."

"Remind me to bring Happy with me next time," the billionaire replied, only half serious. Harry rolled his eyes, stepping closer to the road as a black cab pulled up beside them.

"Canary Wharf?" he requested, and the driver nodded. Harry noticed his boyfriend letting his sunglasses fall over his eyes, ducking his head a little to avoid being recognised. Urging Luke into the car first, he shuffled in, and Tony took the seat facing away from the driver. He was clearly uncomfortable at being in a taxi, and Harry couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever taken one before. Shifting his foot forward, he nudged it against Tony's ankle, offering the older man a faint smile. Tony smiled back, nudging him playfully in return. "So where do you want to go first, cub? After the office," he added, turning to look at his son, who was staring out the window as they drove deeper into the city.

"Uhh… The bridge!" Luke declared brightly, and Harry's smile widened. Luke loved the Millennium Bridge, and always wanted to go on it when they were in the city.

"We can go on the Eye from there, then, hmm?" he suggested, glancing up to Tony for confirmation.

"Sounds good to me, green eyes." The American relaxed a little more in his seat, following his son's example and looking out the window, eyes no doubt sharp behind his sunglasses. Harry leaned forward, resting a hand on Tony's knee as he joined them, pointing out the occasional landmark or point of interest. He worried that he was boring his partner, but Tony's hands were still and he seemed to be listening rather than mentally constructing something, so Harry kept at it. Tony had given them an excellent tour of New York; it was time for him to return the favour.

.-.-.

The taxi dropped them off in Canada Square, and Harry paid the fee without complaint, glad to see Tony had Luke's hand to stop the boy running off in excitement. Turning to join his companions, he twined his fingers with Tony's free hand, chuckling as Lucas practically bounced with excitement. "Come on, this way," he urged, tugging gently. Tony followed obediently, Luke at his side, and it wasn't long before they were heading inside a building with the sleek 'PotterCo' logo above the door, Harry swiping his ID to get in.

"Lord Potter, Sir," the security guard just inside the door greeted with a nod of his head. "Young Master Potter." His eyes landed on Tony, and Harry noticed them widen a fraction. "Mr Stark."

"Morning, Jer," the green-eyed wizard greeted cheerfully. "I won't be in long, just picking up some things. I won't bother with guest passes."

"That's probably for the best, after last time," Jeremy replied with a faint grin, making Harry snort, reaching over to ruffle Luke's hair. Last time Luke had been given a guest pass, he'd snuck off and ended up in R&D.

"Quite. Don't worry, I'll keep the pup on a leash today, and there's two of us to wrangle him. See you later." Jeremy nodded once more, allowing the three further into the building, and Tony turned to Harry with raised eyebrows.

"Lord?" he asked under his breath, bringing a sheepish grin to Harry's face.

"Yeah, I forgot to mention that, didn't I? It's a magical thing; the Potters are an old family, and so are the Blacks. I inherited both titles through Dad and Sirius. Hardly anyone uses them, though, but Jeremy's always been one for propriety," he explained. The older man had been working the main door even before PotterCo had moved into the building, and had seen just about everything there was to see.

"Two lordship titles? Damn. For once in my life, I'm punching above my weight," Tony mused. Harry couldn't help but snicker, pressing a brief kiss to Tony's whiskered cheek.

"Oh, I don't know, Mr Seven Doctorates. Or is that eight?"

"Nine if you count the honorary ones. I don't." Harry snorted, giving the man a knowing look; that proved his point entirely.

"Da-ad, Papa, come ooon!" Luke urged impatiently, tugging on Tony's hand. "Wanna go downstairs."

"We can't today I'm afraid, pup," Harry apologised, heading towards the elevator. "Upstairs only. Maybe another time." Lucas whined disappointedly, but was placated when Harry allowed him to press the button to call the lift. "Downstairs is where all the fun stuff happens," Harry explained to Tony, who smirked, finally pulling his sunglasses off his face. "And where this little monkey caused a right mess last time I brought him here." Tony smirked, letting Luke's hand go as they stepped into the lift, Harry pressing the button for his floor. It was empty, for which he was grateful; while he'd no doubt eventually have to inform his board members of his relationship with Tony, he wanted them to settle back together and figure out what was happening long-term before that happened. Hopefully he'd be able to avoid the paparazzi long enough for things to come out on their terms. When you were dating Tony Stark, anonymity was never a certainty.

They stepped out into a long corridor lined with doors, and Tony let out a low hum. "Not bad. A little old-fashioned, but… if that's the sort of thing you're into, then sure, it works." Harry laughed, knowing all too well what Tony thought of 'old-fashioned'. He didn't think anything the man owned was older than two years, except his classic cars and alcohol.

"Love, most wizards still write with quills and parchment. This might be the muggle-friendly part of the business, but I still need something that won't give my magical clients a heart attack in its modernity," he pointed out wryly. Tony's eyebrows shot up, a skeptical expression on his face.

"Quills? Seriously? You haven't even evolved to fountain pens yet?"

"We're getting there, thank Merlin. We've got a decent stationery company signed to us that's bringing muggle stuff in, all the Hogwarts kids love it. It's so much easier to write an essay in a notebook than on a roll of parchment, and there's no having to start over when your quill leaks. But a lot of the older members of society are pretty stuck in their ways," Harry explained, thinking of the people he knew who still wore robes on every occasion, despite the increasing trend for muggle clothing.

"If there's one thing wizards are bad at, it's change. We've been using the same spells for a thousand years or so." Harry grinned at the new voice, turning to see Colin heading down the corridor towards him. "You must be Tony," the younger man declared, eyeing the American. Harry raised an eyebrow, and Colin smiled lopsidedly. "Luna told me. Sorry, Harry. But I promise news hasn't spread much further than me, and I'm keeping an eye on it."

"Tony, this is Colin Creevey. We went to school together, he was a year below me. And yes, Colin, this is Tony Stark. I'll be having a word with Luna, but I can't blame her for telling you, really. I didn't know you were in the office today?" he queried, prompting Colin to hold up his camera.

"Lav cornered me; they've got a new line coming up and I took some photos, I was just dropping them in. She'll write you about that soon, by the way, apparently you're entitled to free clothes and you embarrass her company by going out in anything different," he relayed cheekily. Harry rolled his eyes; it was nothing Lavender and Parvati hadn't been telling him for years already.

"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before. Go on, away with you. I'll call you later in the week about the Phoenix deal, yeah?" Colin nodded, clapping Harry on the shoulder and ruffling Lucas' hair.

"Sure thing. See you, mate. And it was nice meeting you, Tony, however brief it may be. Bye, kid."

"Bye, Colin!" Luke chirped, stepping aside so the man could continue on his way.

"So nothing stays secret with your family, huh?" Tony mused dryly. Harry shrugged, heading towards his office.

"Not really. Not among the people who know me, at least. We're pros at keeping stuff from the papers. But to be honest, having Colin know is probably a good thing. He's got a bit of a monopoly on all things Harry Potter amongst his little network of journalists, so if he has an ear to the ground it should keep things pretty calm." Tony eyed him speculatively, lips curved in a half-smile.

"Sometimes I forget that it's been six years since we met. Damn, look at you, all grown up and having your own network of secret-keepers to keep your business in check. You need a Pepper! Do you have a Pepper? You can't have my Pepper, though, she's a little busy," he added, making the Brit laugh.

"It's Colin's network, not mine! But thank you, I think; and no, I don't have a Pepper. I don't think I need one, though; I wasn't lying when I said PotterCo runs itself. All I'm needed for is signing things and occasionally turning up to meetings to throw the Potter name about a bit." Swiping his ID on the reader outside his door, then sending a quick burst of magic through his fingertips to trip the wards, he nudged his office door open, letting Luke barrel in and immediately jump on the office chair, spinning around with a giggle. Tony snickered, stepping in behind him and shutting the door.

"So what do you do here, anyway? I mean, I've seen your business specs, of course I have," the American started, "but other than providing startups to small businesses, details are surprisingly elusive. Presumably that's because of magic." Harry nodded, heading over to the pigeon hole in the corner, which was glowing to indicate new letters.

"As far as the muggles are concerned, that's what we are. Me putting my family fortune into helping smaller businesses get established, and linking them together to benefit each other. But for the wizarding world, it's a much bigger operation. Like I said, we're bringing more muggle products into the wizarding world, trying to bridge the gap a bit. Obviously we can't bring in anything too electrical, but we do use computers and phones as a business which has encouraged a lot of others to. Stark tech, of course," he assured, making his lover smile in satisfaction. "The hope is that the closer the wizarding world is to the muggle world, the easier it is for muggleborns to settle in and join the society, and the less likely we are to be caught out. No one blinks twice at a man in jeans and a t-shirt, but a man in a robe and pointed hat gains all sorts of looks."

He pulled out a stack of papers, leafing through and checking there wasn't anything too urgent. "And then there's the bit that Luke loves. R&D downstairs are into all sorts of mad stuff. Mostly defensive items for our aurors — they're like magical police — to use, but also spellcrafting, household items, potions research, and Merlin only knows what else. A lot of our companies hire out the space as safe research premises, so we've got a mix of everything downstairs. Being honest, by this point there's not much in the magical world that PotterCo don't have a hand in now. We're even going huge internationally." Harry felt himself flush, as he always did when talking about the success of his company. Hermione always told him he was too modest.

"Wow," Tony murmured, looking impressed. "Gorgeous, funny, smart, and a business tycoon. Is there anything wrong with you? Like, at all? Because I need to know these things or I'll be at a serious disadvantage here." Harry couldn't help but laugh, allowing Tony to pull him into a chaste kiss.

"Oh, shut up, charmer," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't have gotten nearly as far if I hadn't plastered my name on the front of everything." When he'd initially been starting up, plenty of businesses had clamoured to be involved just to claim they were working with Harry Potter.

"Yeah, the name you got by saving the freaking world," Tony pointed out wryly. Blushing deeper, Harry turned back to his paperwork, keeping an eye on Luke as the boy spun in the chair.

"Careful, pup, or you'll make yourself sick," he warned, smiling to himself when he was completely ignored, the chair only spinning faster. Kids were so easily amused.

As promised, they didn't stay long in the PotterCo offices, Harry filling his briefcase with all the necessary paperwork and scrawling out a list for his secretary of everything he wanted ready for him to view by the time he came in next week. Leaving the building with a nod to Jeremy, Harry called another taxi to take them round to the London Eye, Tony looking much more relaxed than he had in the first journey. Reaching across to twine their fingers together, he mentally prayed that they'd have a peaceful day out, without any stalker photographers or other drama. It was too early for Luke to be involved in all that.

.-.-.-.

After the Eye and the bridge, they went for lunch in Covent Garden and did a bit of shopping in Oxford Street, though didn't stay long as it was horrendously crowded. Tony seemed to be enjoying himself, at least, even if the sunglasses stayed on and he purposefully messed up his hair several times. He was only recognised a handful of times; people didn't expect Tony Stark to be in London, so even people who thought they recognised him probably assumed it was someone else and didn't dare bother him in case they were mistaken.

Still chuckling at Tony's disgusted expression during his first ever ride on the tube, Harry steadied Luke on his shoulders and grinned at his lover, thinking to the tickets sitting in his jacket pocket. "Now, feel free to say no, as I know it's not really your thing," he began, and Tony immediately raised an eyebrow. "I bought tickets to see Lion King tonight, if you want. We don't have to, but I thought it would be fun, and Luke's wanted to see it for a while now." The boy wasn't listening to them, too busy watching all the people around them, and Tony looked faintly surprised.

"What, like the musical?" He didn't sound convinced, and Harry knew how much he hated it when Pepper dragged him to plays and the opera. "Can't be too bad, right? I loved the movie as a kid. Though I apologise in advance if I fall asleep, the theatre makes me sleepy." Laughing, Harry pulled him into a kiss, ignoring Lucas' faint grumble as he was jostled.

"Love you. And feel free to sleep as much as you like, though I doubt the pup will let you." Tony snorted, looking up at his son on his partner's shoulders.

"How about it, kiddo?" he asked, drawing the boy's attention. "Wanna go see Lion King? Your dad got tickets." Luke's eyes went round, and he tugged at Harry's hair in his excitement.

"Really? We can see Lion King? Yeah! That'd be so cool!" he exclaimed eagerly, and Tony smiled. How could he say no when the kid was that excited?

"That's settled, then. How about we find somewhere to get dinner, first?" Harry suggested, bringing Luke down to walk with them as the boy's legs started flailing, kicking him in the chest. He took one of Harry's hands firmly in his own, grabbing Tony's so he was between the pair.

"Can we have pizza?" he asked hopefully, making his parents grin.

"Sure, kid. Let's keep a look out for pizza places." Conveniently, thanks to Harry's forethought, they were already within walking distance of the theatre, and there were plenty of restaurants nearby. Things were getting busier as the pre-show rush started building up, but they found a small Italian place that had free tables and got themselves settled, Harry and Tony having to work in tandem to stop Luke getting tomato sauce all over himself. He spent the entire meal chattering about everything they had done that day, and how much he was looking forward to Lion King, ignorant of the two men playing footsie under the table. Harry couldn't keep the smile from his face, and a glance at Tony showed the man was equally happy. It was nice, going out to dinner as a family, just the three of them. The whole day had been incredible, really. Definitely something Harry could get used to.

After they ate, Harry led the way to the theatre; not that they needed directing, really, considering how enormous the signs were. Handing over their tickets at the door, the three of them stepped inside, and Tony wound an arm around Harry's waist. "I've never actually been to the theatre without there being some sort of business thing involved. Not since I was Luke's age, anyway."

"Maybe that's where you're going wrong, then," Harry reasoned with a cheerful grin. "I dare you not to enjoy yourself with the kid around. Though you might want some earplugs, he's not the most gifted singer in the world." Tony snickered, brushing a kiss against his cheek.

"Can't have everything. I'm gonna grab drinks, gorgeous. You want anything?"

"Water for me, and a bottle for Luke as well. We'll be in the queue for merchandise." Tony nodded, kissing his nose just to make him screw it up in embarrassment, then ducked off into the crowd.

"Where's Papa going?" Luke asked curiously, tugging on the leg of Harry's jeans.

"He's getting drinks, pup. Come on, how about we get a programme? You can get a poster or something too, if you want." Lucas brightened up, and Harry held the boy's hand securely as they joined the queue, peering over the crowd in search of Tony. He spotted his lover at the bar, frowning to himself as the man scrawled something on a napkin. He'd obviously been recognised by someone. Giving the bartender his trademark smile and passing the napkin back to her, Tony gathered his drinks, ignoring her flirtatious smile and ducking out of the queue, eyes seeking out Harry. The wizard couldn't help but look smug at the disappointed look on the girl's face as she looked at the napkin, obviously seeing a lack of phone number. Sure, Tony was a flirt, but Harry knew from their time together when he was a teenager that he was very much capable of being faithful when he wanted to be. Tony didn't sleep with people who were in relationships, or sleep around when he was in one himself; as much as the tabloids liked to say otherwise.

Buying a programme and a set of Timon and Pumba plushies for Luke, Harry met his partner in the middle of the lobby, smiling at him. "All set?" he asked, accepting the two bottles of water. Tony had a bottle of sprite in his own hand, and nodded.

"Yup. May have tipped heavily to stop the bartender from texting her friends about me, but it's all good. What you got there, kiddo?" Luke handed up his new toys for inspection as the three of them made towards the doors to find their seats, Harry showing their tickets to the man at the door, who directed them the right way. They were fairly decent seats considering their booking was rather last-minute; off to the left by the aisle, and about five rows back. Knowing that the animals at one point walked down the aisles, Harry let Luke have the aisle seat, shifting in with Tony in the middle. The seat on his other side was empty, but that was liable to change, and if Tony was going to sleep or play on his phone he didn't want to disturb anyone.

Tony's hand moved to rest on Harry's thigh, their shoulders touching as they both kept an eye on their son, who was happily engrossed in reading the programme, looking at all the pictures of the show. "You think he'll stay awake through the whole thing?" the American asked softly, lips brushing Harry's ear as he spoke and sending pleasant shivers down his spine.

"Oh, probably. He'll be too excited to sleep. It's the journey home he won't be awake for," he mused, thinking on how long the taxi would take. Usually he'd apparate them back, but with Tony that was out of the question. He really needed to talk things over with Hermione when he had a bit of free time. Surely between the two of them and Tony they'd come up with a solution, now they had a real need to. All his research before had just been through boredom and curiosity.

"Kid's got staying power, I like that. Most kids would be out for the count after such a long day." Harry chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"He's stubborn, like his father," he teased, only for Tony to smirk back.

"Which one?" Laughing, Harry conceded the point, resting his head on Tony's shoulder as the lights went down and the music started up. Luke gasped, dropping the programme in his lap and looking up at the stage, and Harry smiled to himself, Tony's arm curling around his shoulders. Yes, he could certainly get used to that.

Lucas was absolutely captivated by the musical, singing along to the songs he knew from the film and vibrating with excitement when one of the zebras walking down the aisle allowed him to touch them, his hands careful and gentle as if it were a real animal. Harry enjoyed himself, too, and was surprised at how much attention Tony paid to the performance. He even caught the older man humming along once or twice. Yes, there were a dozen pages of notes and schematics on his phone by the time they left, but he could forgive him that. Especially since they'd spent half the interval trading chaste kisses that got steadily less chaste, until an old woman in the row behind had told them off for it. Sniggering like teenagers, they turned back to face the front, Luke giggling at them for the scolding and ducking when Tony mussed his hair in retort.

"So what did you think?" Harry asked quietly as they left the theatre, Luke balanced on Tony's hip. As predicted, the boy was starting to grow sleepy, dozing off against his father's shoulder. Harry couldn't help but think how good Tony looked with their son in his arms; natural, like he'd been doing it for years instead of just a few weeks.

"Better than I expected," Tony admitted, an easy smile on his face. "The show was way better than those boring operas Pepper makes me go to, and I definitely can't complain about the company." Harry chuckled, raising a hand as a free taxi approached.

"Glad to hear it. Think of anything good while we were in there?" Tony's smile grew almost abashed, and he glanced at the child in his arms.

"Mechanically, not really; just boring work stuff. However, I did think of several things I can't speak of around young ears," he drawled, winking. Harry smirked, the expression flirtatious.

"Then you can tell me all about them when we've put the brat to bed," he replied, leaning in as the cabbie opened his window. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place." Helping Tony ease Luke into the car, he smiled as the older man sat beside him instead of opposite, their bodies pressed together from shoulder to knee.

"Looks like I'm gonna have to pull out all the stops when you guys come to visit if I'm gonna beat a day out like this," Tony mused. Harry chuckled, reaching over to buckle Luke in before he got his own seatbelt.

"Nah, just show him your workshop and he'll instantly think you're the coolest person ever," Harry pointed out, knowing that as soon as Luke saw the Iron Man suit he'd be even firmer in his belief that Tony was awesome. "That and the beach; he's never been."

"Really?" Tony asked in surprise, and Harry nodded. "Okay, definitely hitting the beach when you're over. The weather's great at the moment, not quite too hot yet, he'll love it. And I get to see you in swim shorts; everybody wins." Laughing, Harry swatted Tony gently, rolling his eyes. They didn't talk much the rest of the journey back, both worn out from the long day, and Tony picked Luke up when they got out at Grimmauld, the almost-asleep boy clinging loosely to Tony's shoulders while Harry paid the driver. Unlocking the door, they slipped inside, and a glance into the living room showed Remus curled up on the sofa with a book in his lap, covered by a blanket. The werewolf craned his neck as he heard the door open, smiling at them.

"Good day?" he asked, voice soft. Harry grinned, nodding.

"Yeah, brilliant. We're just gonna put Luke to bed, then probably turn in ourselves," he relayed. Remus glanced at his watch, eyebrows rising.

"It's that late already? Bloody hell, I should go to bed, too. You can tell me all about your day in the morning, cub. I'll lock up for the night. Goodnight, both of you." Murmuring their goodnights, Harry and Tony went upstairs with Luke, the boy well and truly asleep on Tony's shoulder. Lying the boy down on the bed, Tony stepped outside while Harry used magic to switch Luke's clothes for pyjamas, then re-entered as Harry was tucking him in.

"Today was a success, then," the younger man murmured, leaning down to kiss his son's forehead, moving aside for Tony to do the same. "He'll be bragging to his aunts and uncles about it for weeks, I'm telling you now." Tony couldn't stop his smile at that, arm draping around Harry's hips to direct him out of the room, switching off the lights on their way out.

"I'm glad he enjoyed himself. I did, too. He… he's really something special. I mean, God, Harry, he's so damn smart! He's like me as a kid but without all the bratty parts, and he's so easygoing and happy all the time!" Harry smiled, pushing his bedroom door open and shedding his jacket, making Tony release him.

"I told you this parenting lark is easier than it looks," he remarked, grinning. "You're wonderful with him. You just need to stop assuming you're going to be bad at it." Pulling his t-shirt over his head, he jumped as hands swept up his stomach, pulling him in towards a shirtless Tony.

"I thought I _was_ going to be bad at it, until I met you. And maybe it's for the best that I wasn't there when he was a tiny kid; I probably would have been terrible before he was able to talk and not puke on people and stuff," the American added ruefully. Harry frowned, winding an arm around the man's neck.

"Don't say that," he breathed, voice pained. "Of course it's not for the best; you should have been there, and I was an absolute shithead for not letting you. You would have been just as great with him then as you are now, I know it. I… I can't apologise enough, Tony, I really can't," he started, only to be cut off with a kiss.

"You don't need to apologise, I get it," Tony insisted. "I was a reckless asshole who couldn't be trusted."

"No! No, it's not that at all!" Harry urged, loosening his belt in order to undo his jeans and step out of them, chest still pressed to Tony's, Arc Reactor whirring between them. "It was never, ever to do with you. I never doubted you, not for a second. It was me I doubted. I never believed I could actually be interesting enough for you to want me long-term, not when you could have your pick of anyone. I hid from you because I didn't want to face rejection, because I was stupid and a coward and didn't know any better. I didn't want to trap you in a relationship with me just because of our child. It had nothing to do with what I thought of you; I thought you'd be a brilliant father, then. And I was right, you are." Tony's dark eyes were wide, and his jaw was slack, as if he didn't know how to take that revelation.

"God, so much time wasted by both of us being stupid," he breathed. "Gorgeous, I picked you over everyone else the day I met you, of course I would have done it again in a heartbeat. I was crazy in love with you. I just figured that if you had wanted me to find you, you would have given me contact details, or your real name, or something. I mean, why would you have wanted an old jackass when you were young and gorgeous and perfect?" Harry shook his head, cupping Tony's cheek to pull him in for a kiss.

"We're both huge idiots. It's a bloody miracle and a half we've managed this far," he remarked, laughing quietly. "I wish we could change the past, but we can't. So how about we put it behind us and go to bed? We've got so much to look forward to, after all." Tony nodded, stepping out of his own jeans and urging Harry towards the bathroom for them to both brush their teeth.

"Sounds good to me, green eyes." Trying to brush his teeth with Tony kissing his way across his shoulders was hard, but Harry managed it, waiting for Tony to finish up before they both made for the bed, crawling under the duvet. As much as he'd love to slide a hand inside Tony's boxers and start something, he knew they were both far too tired. Instead he curled up with his head resting on Tony's shoulder, one hand covering the Arc Reactor protectively. Tony kissed his hair, their legs tangling together.

"Y'know, since Luke went to bed so late, he'll probably sleep late in the morning. So maybe if we wake up early enough we might be able to have a little fun before facing the world," the Brit suggested, feeling Tony's arm tighten a fraction.

"That is exactly the kind of incentive I need to get up early," he declared, fingers running teasingly down Harry's side. "I look forward to the morning." Smiling to himself, Harry let his eyes close, snuggling into Tony's warmth and trying not to think about how tomorrow would be Tony's last full day with them. The weekend needed to be longer.


	22. Chapter 22

With the entire Weasley family bar Ron and Hermione under the impression that Harry and Remus were away with Luke for the weekend, Harry was secure in the knowledge that no one was going to disturb them on Tony's last day. As expected, the pair managed to wake without being disturbed by a hyperactive four year-old, and Harry smirked to himself as he glanced up at his groggy lover. "Remember what I promised last night?" he murmured, causing Tony's brow to furrow adorably in confusion.

"Huh? _Oh_ ," he breathed, feeling Harry's hand trailing down his stomach. "Mmm, yes please." Snorting, Harry shifted, getting his wrist at a better angle as his fingers crept below the waistband of Tony's boxers. "C'mon, Harry, it's too early to tease," Tony pleaded, rapidly waking fully. He reached over to the bedside table, rifling through the drawer for lube and a condom, making his intentions clear. Harry smirked, hand curling around semi-hard flesh and making the older man jolt.

"What's the plan?" he asked, stroking leisurely.

"I need to be in you, now," Tony groaned, shoving aside the duvet to get his hands on Harry's hips. "We can have all the foreplay in the world tonight, but right now, I need you." Harry didn't argue, letting Tony pull his boxers down and kicking them off haphazardly. Once they were both naked, Harry couldn't help but press against Tony, rutting against him in search of friction. Wet fingers entering him weren't a surprise, but they still made him freeze, letting out a low groan at the welcome intrusion.

"More, come on, Tony, I won't break," he muttered, dragging the older man down into a messy kiss, his hand still on Tony's cock. He felt his lover fumbling with the condom and took it off him, resuming his touch and covering the man's length. Grabbing the lube, Harry urged Tony's fingers deeper while he slicked him up, trying not to tease too much. Tony panted harshly into his mouth, pupils wide and skin flushed. Merlin, he was gorgeous. The fingers slipped out of Harry, and the wizard shifted impatiently, waiting for Tony to line himself up. "Ugh, fuck this." Straddling the older man, he held Tony's erection with one hand, sinking down onto it faster than he probably should have. Tony cursed, trying not to move, and Harry smirked at him as he bottomed out. "Let go, love," he urged, fingers brushing over Tony's nipples, moving to run across the top of the Arc Reactor. "Fuck me." That seemed to be all Tony needed, and his hips began to pump steadily, thrusting up into Harry as the Brit pushed back down against him, shifting every few thrusts in order to try and find the perfect angle. He cried out as it hit, one hand braced on Tony's shoulder, and as a familiar calloused hand closed around him he saw white, unable to do anything more than sit and hold on as pleasure overtook him, his release coming hard. He clenched instinctively around Tony, and the American swore as he came, relaxing boneless against the mattress. Lifting himself off the other man's softening cock, Harry rolled the condom off and tied it, tossing it in the direction of the bin before making himself comfortable at Tony's side, running a hand through the older man's hair as they kissed.

"Fuck, you're amazing," Tony muttered, bring a smile to the wizard's lips.

"Just making up for lost time," Harry replied impishly. Glancing over at the clock, he saw they had maybe half an hour before Luke would wake. "We should shower and go get breakfast, Moony will probably have it ready." A whine dragged from the billionaire's throat, and he glared lazily at his partner.

"Nope, staying here. Keeping you naked and in bed forever," he declared petulantly. Harry laughed, kissing him shortly.

"We both know that doesn't work, love. Come on; I'll be naked in the shower, that's one out of two." Tony seemed to perk up a little at that, allowing Harry to drag him out of bed and into the bathroom. Neither of them was up for a second round so soon, but that didn't stop them from kissing and touching under the water's spray, washing each other carefully. It was nice for both of them not have to rush anywhere, to not have meetings or work or Luke to worry about.

When they wandered down to the kitchen, it was to find Remus had indeed made breakfast, the werewolf smirking at them over his large mug of tea. "Good morning," he drawled in greeting, and Harry scowled as he flushed red, lightly shoving the man's head on his way past.

"Shut it, you," he muttered embarrassedly, Tony's smug look not helping in the slightest. "Bratling not up yet?"

"No, he's all worn out, bless. What's the plan for today, then?" Harry poured Tony a mug of coffee, shrugging.

"Absolutely nothing," he declared cheerfully. "I promised to take Tony out on the bike sometime, but other than that, I thought a day at home sounded good."

"I have no objections," Tony agreed, draping himself over Harry's back as the younger man brewed tea. Harry rolled his eyes, kissing the man's cheek and nudging him towards the table, where eggs and toast were waiting.

"You doing anything today, Rem?" Harry asked, but the sandy-haired man shook his head.

"Not that I know of. I need to get a bit of writing done, but other than that, I'm completely free. If you want the house to yourselves, though, I can make myself scarce…?" He trailed off, raising an eyebrow. Harry snorted, giving him a pointed look.

"Don't be daft, Moons, you live here too. Besides, you're meant to be getting to know Tony better, too. I'll need someone else on my side for when he meets Molly," he added with a grin, only half joking.

"I'm starting to wonder if that's such a good idea, the way you talk about her," Tony remarked, making them both laugh.

"Harry's just being dramatic, Tony, don't worry. Molly isn't your biggest fan, but she isn't that much of a harpy. And I'm already on your side, Harry; I have been from the day you came home from Malibu," Remus reminded, earning a grin from his godson.

"I know, I know." Neither of them took long to eat their breakfast, and they moved to the living room when they were finished, Tony taking advantage of Luke not being there to nose around a little. Harry curled up on the sofa and watched him with a smile, which widened when Tony stopped in front of the bookshelf. It was full of framed photos, all up too high for Luke to reach, and the American's gaze was frozen on one that had been taken the day Harry had brought Luke home from the hospital.

"He was so small," Tony murmured, awed. "And look at you; you hadn't changed a bit."

"Oh, don't be such a flatterer, I'd put on so much baby weight," Harry replied, laughing. Getting to his feet, he crossed the room to slide an arm around Tony's waist, looking at the rest of the photos. There were plenty of Luke, and of him and Luke, and of various family members. Everything Tony had missed out on.

"He was a cute baby, huh? You could mistake these for my baby photos, we're so similar." Tony raised a gentle hand to brush down the glass of a photo from Luke's first birthday, the baby grinning up at the camera.

"Yeah, he was a gorgeous little sprog. Still is, really. I could, uh, get the photo album out, if you want," he offered tentatively. He didn't know if it was too soon to show Tony what he'd not been present for, if the man wanted a little more time to come to terms with things. But Tony's eyes lit up, and he looked tentatively hopeful as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Please? I'd love to see more." Smiling, Harry nodded, reaching up on tiptoes for the thick leather-bound album Luna had made him as a birthday present the year after Luke was born. Taking it back to the sofa, he set it on his lap and tucked himself into Tony's side, the older man's arm around his shoulders. Flipping the album open, he groaned at the first page. He'd forgotten about those. "Wow." Right on the front page was a picture of Harry, shirtless and in pyjama trousers, about four months along. The swell of his stomach was visible, and his hair was mussed; he'd clearly just stumbled out of bed. "I know you said you carried him, and I believed you before, but seeing it… wow."

Harry kept flipping pages, watching as his baby bump grew bigger and bigger with every photo. "Luna — a friend of mine from school, you'll love her — was absolutely obsessed with getting photos of me while I was pregnant. Kept saying I'd want the record of it after I'd had the baby. She even recruited Moony into her mission, it was mad."

"Remind me to buy her a present or something," Tony murmured, eyes fixed on a photo of Harry lying on the sofa at eight months pregnant, his chest rising and falling gently in sleep. "I want copies of these photos. Damn, you are insanely sexy pregnant with my kid, I hope you realise that." Harry's eyebrows shot up, and he stared at the man incredulously.

"Tony, what? Don't be thick, I look like a whale. You don't have to flatter me, I'm not full of pregnancy hormones anymore," he joked. Tony shook his head insistently.

"I'm not flattering, I swear. I always thought pregnant chicks were kinda weird-looking and I never understood why guys always said their wives were more beautiful pregnant, but I think I get it now. I mean, you're gorgeous anyway, but this is… I think I need a minute." Turning to face Tony properly, Harry was surprised to see his expression was dead serious; he was really getting turned on by looking at photos of Harry pregnant. The wizard felt himself blush, unsure of how to take it. When he'd been pregnant, his friends had all told him he looked great, but he'd assumed they were just trying to be nice so he didn't start crying. Looking back at the photo, he tried to see it from Tony's point of view, but all he could see was the enormous belly, the weight he'd put on, and the bags under his eyes from sleepless nights of being unable to get comfortable due to the pain in his back.

"Well, stick around long enough, you might end up seeing it firsthand sometime," he said flippantly, feeling Tony tense at his words. Wondering if he'd spoken out of hand, Harry opened his mouth to retract the statement, but was cut off by a firm kiss.

"I think I'd like that, maybe," Tony murmured, cupping his cheek. Harry's eyes widened, a hope he didn't know he'd had bubbling in his chest. Did Tony want another kid with him?

"Really?" he asked, and Tony grinned.

"Yeah. Could be fun, right?" Grinning back, Harry leaned in for another kiss, which was cut short by the sound of small footsteps thundering down the stairs. As they pulled away, Luke appeared in the doorway, tousle-haired and still in pyjamas.

"Morning!" he greeted brightly, still a little sleepy-eyed. "Ooh, are you looking at pictures?"

"We sure are, kiddo. Why don't you go get breakfast, then you can come look with us?" Tony suggested. Lucas nodded, turning to head into the kitchen, and Tony looked back down at the album, flipping the page. His breath caught as his eyes landed on the double-page collage Luna had made; all of the ultrasound photos, and then the same photo that was in the frame, next to a photo that had been taken when Luke was mere hours old. Underneath it all in neat black writing were the words _'Welcome to the world, Lucas Anthony James Potter_ ' and his date of birth. "Anthony?" he breathed, finger tracing over the name."

"His legal name had to be put on the Ministry register, so I couldn't put Stark on the end or people would find out," Harry explained. "But… I wanted him to have something of you." The older man looked speechless, and Harry squeezed him around the waist gently, offering silent support. He got the feeling that the next few months would be full of moments like that, until they settled into a routine and Tony was more established in their lives. Hopefully they'd stop feeling like a kick in the stomach every time.

When Lucas returned, having wolfed down a bowl of cereal, Remus followed him in and watched as the boy squirmed his way between his parents, the photo album now on his lap. "That's me!" he declared proudly, pointing at the double page spread. "I was all small and squishy when I was born." Harry snorted, and Tony ruffled the boy's hair.

"You were, weren't you? Look at you, all red and scrunchy," he teased, turning the page. The photos went from Luke's birth right up to present day, and Harry wished he had a camera just for the smile on Tony's face when he saw a photo of the three of them at the Statue of Liberty at the end of the album, the rest of it just blank pages waiting to be filled.

"Plenty of space for more of those," Harry pointed out, grinning. "So we'd better start carrying the camera about."

"Definitely." Tony shut the photo album, kissing Harry on the cheek. "And I totally wasn't kidding about wanting copies. And digital versions when we can get stuff to work properly." Harry laughed, getting up to put the album away.

"I'll get them done for you, promise," he vowed. "So what do you want to do, pup? Tony has to go back to America tomorrow, so if you want him for anything special, just let us know." Luke frowned, burrowing into Tony's side.

"Can't you stay longer?" he asked hopefully. Tony kissed his hair, holding him close.

"Wish I could, short stuff, but I have work, and Pepper will get mad at me if I don't do it. But we've got all of today, and I'll see you again soon, okay? So what do you wanna do?"

"Can we play Iron Man and Captain America again?" the boy queried, perking up a little. Tony shared an amused look with Harry, and they both noticed Remus stifling a chuckle behind his book. Turning back to his son, Tony grinned.

"I would like nothing more."

.-.-.

By late afternoon, Lucas was still in his pyjamas and they had saved the world several times over. Despite being intelligent beyond his years, Luke still had the attention span of someone his age, and he quickly wanted to change games, playing a wizarding board game that Tony ended up enjoying a lot more than he'd expected, and several levels on his handheld game console while they all chilled out and watched TV.

Feeling his stomach start to growl, Harry checked his watch; he should really start on dinner. He patted Tony's arm where it rested around his waist, craning his neck to kiss the man's cheek. "I'm gonna go put dinner on, okay? You stay here and watch the kid." Remus had retreated to his room when the noise from their games became too distracting for him to write.

"Sure thing, gorgeous." Tony trailed a hand briefly under Harry's t-shirt across his stomach, smiling as the Brit reluctantly got to his feet. They were both dressed in old t-shirts and worn jeans, Tony's liberally stained with motor oil, and to Harry he'd never been more attractive. Seeing Tony relaxed and casual always made him feel like he was being let in on some huge secret.

Wandering through to the kitchen, he rifled through the fridge in search of food, eventually deciding on pasta with cheese sauce and vegetables. Quick, easy, and one of Luke's favourites. Running a hand through his hair, which was already messy from having Tony's fingers in it while they watched a movie earlier, he set the water to boil and started gathering ingredients for the sauce, setting aside the vegetables to chop while the sauce was cooking. He could hear Luke's giggles and murmurs drifting in from the living room, and smiled to himself, glad the two of them seemed to be talking when he wasn't there. They would both miss Tony when he went back home; the genius had managed to seep into their lives so completely in such a short space of time, the house would be quiet without him. They really, really needed to work on something more permanent. Luke was young, he was still at an age where adjusting to new situations and places was easy. The sooner they all settled down together, the sooner they could start building their life as a proper family.

Pulling four bowls from the cupboard when everything was cooked, he portioned it out and set them on the table, grabbing three glasses and a plastic cup as well. Sending a small jolt of magic to chase up the stairs and alert Remus — careful to make sure it didn't stray into the living room and potentially harm Tony — he went to tell his partner and son about the food, only to pause in the doorway with a grin on his face. Lucas had abandoned his gaming console, and Tony had moved to sit on the floor, the radio from off the shelf dismantled between the pair. Tony had some of the inner wirings in his hand, and was carefully explaining to a captivated Lucas how everything worked, pointing out each part as he named it. Harry turned when he heard the familiar tread of Remus' slippers on the stairs, pressing a finger to his lips as the man came into view. Remus frowned, moving to his side, and Harry gestured silently to the scene in the living room, watching his godfather's expression soften.

Tony glanced up as he reached for his screwdriver — and just where he'd pulled the screwdriver from, Harry didn't want to know — and caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye, grinning. "You want in on the lesson, too?" he teased, making Harry chuckle.

"Maybe later, it's time for dinner," he replied. Luke cheered, getting to his feet and running towards the kitchen, squeezing through the narrow gap between Remus and Harry. Remus turned to follow, making sure he didn't spill his food in his effort to get to it, and Tony got to his feet with far less ease than his son had. "Luke seemed pretty interested there," Harry commented, offering his lover a hand. Tony's grin widened as he used the hand to tug Harry close.

"He's a smart kid. And, well, he should at least get the chance to carry on the Stark Legacy, if he wants to. He's got five years to catch up on," he reasoned, slightly sheepish. He looked apprehensive at his own words, and Harry squeezed his hand, knowing what he was thinking. Howard hadn't given Tony a choice as a kid; it was follow in his father's footsteps or get kicked out. Tony wasn't doing that to Lucas, in any way.

"He loves learning," he replied, smiling. "I'm sure once you show him your workshop properly you'll have a little gearhead on your hands in no time." He leaned in, dropping a kiss on Tony's lips. "Now come on, before dinner gets cold."

Luke had started without them, as expected, but Remus was waiting with a fond smile on his face; the man had probably been eavesdropping, damn his sneaky wolf-ears. The almost-five year-old chatted happily between every mouthful, and Harry and Tony nodded and hummed appropriately, occasionally having to remind him to slow down or he'd choke. Remus insisted on doing the dishes since Harry cooked, so they returned to the living room where Luke immediately went for the TV remote, turning over to Cartoon Network. Leaving him to it, Harry dragged Tony back to the sofa, manhandling him into cuddling position. "Just an hour, pup, then bath before bed," he informed his son, who pouted, but nodded in acceptance.

Tony let one hand tangle in Harry's hair, his other tapping away at the screen of his phone, and Harry almost dozed off to the cheerful music coming from Luke's TV show. It was strangely relaxing, knowing there was someone else around to keep an eye on the kid while he was there and Remus was working. He could fall asleep right now and Tony would still be there to watch Lucas.

When Luke's allocated hour was up, Harry peeled himself away from Tony's side, ushering his son up the stairs to the bathroom. Tony followed happily, looking somewhat sleepy himself. It was a good look for him. Luke didn't really need much help with his bath, just a hand with his hair and a careful eye to make sure he didn't have too much fun playing with the taps and flood the bathroom. They finished quickly, and as the boy was changing into his pyjamas he looked hopefully up at Tony. "Would you read me a bedtime story, please, Papa?" he asked, his green eyes large and pleading. Harry stifled a smile at the way Tony instantly softened at the look, grabbing the book from the bedside table. He was already wrapped around his son's little finger; Harry hadn't expected much less.

Luke scrambled into bed, his hair still a little bit damp, and Tony perched on the edge of the bed with one leg tucked up underneath him, allowing the boy to snuggle up to his side and peer at the pages. Harry took the chair beside the bed, his heart aching as he watched his lover read to their son, his voice clear and warm as he spoke of the Pevensies' adventures, even putting on voices for several of the characters. Why Tony thought he'd be a terrible father, Harry didn't know.

"Don't want you to go tomorrow, Papa," Luke murmured groggily as Tony closed the book on finishing the chapter. Tony sighed, fingers carding through the boy's dark hair.

"I know, kiddo. I don't want to go either. But I'll see you again real soon, I promise." Shifting aside so Luke could lie down properly, Tony bent down, kissing his forehead. "Love you, Luke."

"Love you, Papa. Night, Dad." Harry squeezed in at Tony's side, kissing his son goodnight.

"G'night, pup. Sleep well." Flicking on the night light and getting the main lights on the way out, Harry pulled the door gently shut behind him, sharing a rueful smile with his partner. Looked like none of them wanted Tony to leave.

Urging him into a languid kiss, Harry offered a grin, one hand resting on Tony's hip. "There's one thing we haven't done yet that I promised we'd do," he murmured, and Tony smirked, one eyebrow rising.

"Oh? I thought this morning covered that pretty well," he drawled, making Harry chuckle.

"Not that," he replied, rolling his eyes. "I said I'd take you out on the bike, didn't I?" Tony perked up, grinning, and Harry kissed him. "One second." Pulling away, he darted across the corridor to knock on Remus' door, not waiting for a reply before sticking his head in. The older man was sat at his desk, pen in hand; Harry had managed to wean him off quills and parchment, but not quite convinced him of the wonders of the laptop yet. "Hi, Moony. The pup's in bed, I was just gonna take Tony out on the bike for a bit, if that's alright?"

"Of course it is, love. I'll keep an ear out for Luke, you two have fun. But don't stay out all night, yeah?" Remus' grin was teasing, and Harry snickered.

"What kind of man do you take me for?" he retorted. "Nah, we won't be too long. See you later." Leaving the man to his writing, Harry turned back to Tony with a smile. "Suppose we'd better but some warmer clothes on." It was still summer, but they were in England, and it was half past eight at night.

Dressed properly, Harry led Tony down to the small garage attached to the house, where his bike was kept. Tossing a helmet to the older man and ignoring the disgruntled look it earned, Harry buckled his own helmet and dug his keys from his pocket, straddling the bike. A quick press of a button on the key fob had the garage door sliding up, and Tony swung a leg over to sit behind him, wrapping muscled arms around Harry's waist. Harry smiled to himself as he started the engine; it was strange, having their positions reversed. But like hell was he going to let Tony drive his baby, the way that man looked on speed limits as a personal challenge.

Pulling out onto the empty street, Harry's smile only grew as Tony's grip tightened, his chest flush against the wizard's back. The last few rays of dying sunlight were nearly drowned out by the street lights, and Harry turned onto the usual route he took when he was driving with no destination. He loved the location of Grimmauld Place; close enough to the city centre that getting in wasn't a hardship, but far enough away that it wasn't constantly crowded and busy. Rolling his eyes when one of Tony's hands 'slipped' to brush his crotch, Harry tried not to think of how time was steadily running out. If he kept driving, Tony never had to leave.

.-.-.-.

Tony woke before Harry for once, the young wizard curled up close with his head on Tony's shoulder, and the genius just lay there for a while, watching him. The clock on the side told him he had three hours before his plane took off; three hours left with his son and his partner. It wasn't nearly long enough.

Tracing random equations with a gentle finger on Harry's shoulder, he smiled to himself at the faint frown it brought to his sleeping lover's lips, his nose twitching. God, he was adorable. He wished they had time for one more round of sex, but he'd rather leave it on the amazing time they'd had after getting home on the bike than whatever quickie they could manage before Luke woke up. Ah, the perils of parenthood. He couldn't help but think that when Harry and Luke moved in with him, JARVIS would be able to warn them ahead of time.

Seeing Harry start to stir, Tony ran his fingers through the wizard's hair, bringing a smile to Harry's face as green eyes opened. "Good morning, you. Been watching me long?" he asked with a grin, voice still husky from sleep. Tony chuckled, leaning down for a kiss.

"Not long enough to be creepy," he insisted. Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Creeper," he jibed lightly, pulling him in for a deeper kiss. "Don't go," he murmured against Tony's lips, and Tony felt his heart break a little bit.

"I have to," he replied, the reluctance clear in his tone. "Pepper had to pull strings to get me this long off, I can't leave it much longer. But look, I'll talk to her when I get back, see when would be a good time for you two to come out and see me, yeah? Time it right, I'll only have three or four meetings, and you can stay for a whole week if you want. Hell, stay longer, I'd have no objections," he added with a smirk, making Harry chuckle.

"It's a date," he confirmed. "Now how about we get the kid up and set him on Remus so I can blow you in the shower, hmm?" Tony groaned at the prospect, kissing Harry hotly.

"I like the way you think, gorgeous."

With Luke happily eating breakfast under Remus' sleepy gaze, Harry and Tony scrambled upstairs like a pair of teenagers, practically tripping over themselves in their haste to get to the bathroom. They made the most of their short time left, both trying to push it from their minds, and emerged with satisfied grins and swollen lips, Harry's neck littered in love bites. Tony really was a possessive bastard.

Tony was all packed and ready to go with half an hour to spare, and spent the remaining time sprawled on the sofa with Luke watching cartoons. The boy had a hand curled tightly in Tony's shirt, his head on his father's stomach. Harry sat with Tony's feet in his lap, running a hand up and down his shin beneath his jeans. Tony couldn't tell you what cartoon they were watching; he was too busy concentrating on the feel of his family around him, trying to burn the memory into his brain. He didn't know when he'd get it again.

Lucas cried when Tony got up to leave, and it was the closest Tony had ever come to saying screw work and staying with them. He hadn't expected the boy's tears to tug on his heartstrings so much. "I'll see you soon, and I can talk to you on the phone and your dad's laptop," he promised, hugging his son tightly and feeling tears soak into his shirt. "C'mon, little man, I don't want to see you cry! We're gonna sort out a time where you can come and stay with me for a while, it'll be here before you know it." Luke pulled away, still sniffling.

"You promise?" he mumbled, and Tony nodded, kissing his forehead.

"Cross my heart, kid. So how about a smile, hmm?" The boy managed a shaky grin, and Tony beamed back. "There we go. I love you, and I'll call tomorrow so you can talk to me then." With one last hug, Luke released him, allowing Remus to pick him up. The werewolf had already hugged Tony goodbye, wishing him a safe journey home. With one last look over his shoulder at the pair, Tony picked up his bag and turned to follow Harry down to the garage.

They took the bike to the airfield, and Tony smiled to himself when he noticed Harry taking the long route there, trying to drag things out a little longer. Holding on tight, the American let his mind wander, making a mental list of everything he'd need to sort out before he saw Harry next. If he was going to make his case for the two of them moving in with him as soon as possible, it would have to be airtight. Harry clearly loved his family, and the life he had in England; would his love for Tony be enough to pull him away from that? But, he supposed, if it came down to it, he could probably run Stark Industries from England. It would take a _lot_ of work, and plenty of trips to the USA for meetings, but… it would be doable. For his family.

Allowing the steward to take his bag when they finally parked at the airfield, Tony turned to Harry, who was biting his lip. "Don't you dare make me cry as well," the wizard muttered fiercely, and Tony couldn't help but chuckle. Pulling him into a tight hug, he kissed him hard and cupped his cheek, feeling an arm hold him closer.

"I'll call you when I get in, and we can talk more tomorrow once I've asked Pepper about my schedule," he promised, forehead pressed to the Brit's. "This isn't forever, okay?"

"Damn right it's not." Harry pulled back, taking a deep breath and plastering a smile on his face. "Fly safe, and we'll talk soon. And I'll take lots of photos for you at Luke's birthday party." Tony still couldn't believe he was going to miss the first birthday with his son after finding him. Stupid Stark Industries.

"I look forward to it. I love you, gorgeous."

"Love you, too," Harry replied, kissing him again. Reluctantly stepping out of the embrace, Tony turned towards the stairs up to the plane, waving goodbye from the top before he entered his jet. His crew were efficient, as usual, and within minutes they were up in the air heading back to America. Tony couldn't shake the feeling that he had left something behind; his heart, maybe. God, he was pathetic.

Pushing it away, he grabbed his tablet off the table and started up some of the work he'd been doing on his phone over the weekend, trying not to think about Harry and Lucas. It worked, for the most part, and Happy greeted him in Malibu with a cheerful expression and a Ferrari. "Good weekend, boss?" the man asked, and Tony smiled back.

"The best. Take me home, Hap." He just wanted to get in his workshop and pretend the ache in his chest was the Arc Reactor, not lovesickness. The house was empty when he arrived, and he put a pot of coffee on before heading down to the shop, chatting to JARVIS about everything he'd missed in his time away. Why had he ever thought it would be a good idea to run a company that couldn't function without him for more than three days at a time? Even with Pepper in charge of most things, his R&D and Legal departments were disgustingly dependant on him. Maybe he should fix that.

His loud music cut off abruptly, and he let out a sound of protest, looking up to see Pepper in the doorway with a knowing expression on her face, still dressed in work clothes. "Welcome home, Tony. How are Harry and Luke?" she asked, stepping delicately around the mess on the floor to greet him with a brief hug.

"They're great, we had a lot of fun. I actually kinda miss them already, which is a little pathetic," he added with a chuckle, but she smiled.

"It's not pathetic, it's normal," she insisted. "And, uh, how was magic?" She had taken it all remarkably well, and Tony had to admit he was sort-of proud. Nothing fazed his Pepper for long.

"Less fun," he admitted with a grimace. "Turns out magic plus electricity equals boom. So no fun magical things for me, and I have a new project to work on with Harry and one of his friends. We'll fix it, no biggie." Pepper frowned briefly, but didn't say anything, for which he was grateful.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time. Now come on, go to bed, you've got an early meeting in the morning that you are not allowed to sleep through." Tony's brow furrowed; he could have sworn that meeting wasn't until Saturday. He told her as much, and an innocent smile tugged at her lips. "I rescheduled some things," she informed him evenly. Turning to one of his screens to pull up his schedule, Tony's eyes went wide; any meetings he had on Saturday had been moved to other times in the week, except one that was blocked out in red, meaning Pepper would go in his place. The entire day on his calendar was blocked out in green — personal time — with the header 'Lucas' Birthday Party'.

"You didn't," he breathed, stunned, and she smiled.

"Your son doesn't turn five every day, Tony. I think we can make an exception." She yelped when he hugged her so tightly her feet left the ground, and he laughed, setting her back down and trying to ignore the oil stain he'd made on her jacket. It would probably wash out. He hoped.

"You're the best, Pepper. Seriously. Like, I owe you a pony, or something. Do you want a pony? I can buy you a pony right now if you want," he told her, half-serious. The redhead laughed, rolling her eyes and clasping his shoulder.

"No, I don't want a pony," she replied amusedly. "You can, however, reserve me the green dress off the upcoming Armani line. And I'll buy a pair of Louboutins on your credit card. Now go to bed."

"Yes, ma'am," he responded with a playful salute, saving and closing his work progress with a few finger swipes. "And if you talk to Harry between now and the party, don't tell him I'm coming. He could do with a good surprise." He grinned to himself, thinking back on everything Hermione had told him about magic, wondering if the Iron Man suit would withstand a day at the Burrow. If he was going to be a surprise arrival to Luke's party, then goddamn it he was going to make one _hell_ of an entrance.


	23. Chapter 23

Tony woke early of his own volition for once, practically jumping out of bed and grinning widely as he showered, dressing in comfortable clothing that would fit easily under the Iron Man suit. Pepper was in the kitchen when he walked in, dressed smartly for her meeting, and she gave him a knowing look. "Everything is taken care of for today," she assured him, and he let out a small sound of relief. "Just make sure you're back by midnight, Cinderella." He smiled at her teasing tone, dropping a kiss on her head as he made for the coffee machine.

"Yes, ma'am. Does that make you my fairy godmother?" Pepper snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"You're older than I am, so I'm gonna go with no," she replied lightly. He mock-pouted, failing to look hurt.

"You're only as old as the people you feel, and my boyfriend is twenty-two, so I win," he said smugly. Pepper slid two slices of bread in the toaster for him, a smile tugging at her lips as she tried not to laugh.

"I dunno, Tony. You're a father now, that's generally a sign of ageing." He placed a finger on her lips before she could continue, making a shushing noise.

"I am immortal and ageless," he declared petulantly. "Now I should really get going or I'll miss the party."

"Not so fast, mister," Pepper scolded, grabbing him by the back of his t-shirt as he tried to escape. "Sit down and eat your breakfast, I am not letting you fly to England on an empty stomach." Tony huffed, but obediently sat down at the breakfast bar as Pepper retrieved his toast, slathering it in peanut butter and placing it in front of him. "I swear to god, Harry better be aware he's practically taking on a second child with you," she muttered, her tone unmistakably fond. Tony grinned at her, cheeks bulging with toast. Yeah, Harry definitely knew what he was getting into; that was half of what made him so amazing.

.-.-.

Tony wasn't the only one to wake early, though Harry only did so due to the just-turned-five year-old jumping on his bed at six in the morning. "Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me-eeeee, happy birthday to me!" Harry snickered, looking up at the dark-haired boy who was about an inch from stepping on his father's stomach.

"Happy birthday to you indeed, pup. Five years old, Merlin; you'll be off to Hogwarts before I can blink!" He'd intended for it to be teasing, but his words came out more wistful than anything else, and Lucas grinned. Harry could hardly believe how much the boy had grown already; he was shooting up by the day, and half his clothes only fit him due to extension charms. Harry wondered if he would have grown as much as a child, had he not been kept in the cupboard. "Alright, birthday boy. Give me a minute to use the loo and we can have breakfast, yeah? Have you woken Uncle Moony yet?" Luke shook his head, still beaming, and Harry smirked. "Go get him up, then." He was about as far from a full moon as he could get, so Harry wasn't worried about disturbing the man's sleep. Luke nodded, dropping down to kiss Harry's cheek and then scramble off the bed, bare feet thudding on the carpeted floors as he raced down to Remus' room. Chuckling to himself, Harry swung his legs over the side of the bed, hunting out his slippers before ducking into the bathroom to relieve himself. Hearing his son's somewhat off-key singing in the hallway, Harry grabbed the well-worn Gryffindor hoodie off the end of his bed and shrugged it on over his pyjamas, a smile on his face as he left his bedroom. The chaos was only going to get worse.

.-.

After a breakfast of pancakes and fruit, the three of them made their way over to the Burrow, where preparations were already underway for Luke's birthday party. Harry would have been happy with just a family dinner, but nothing involving the Weasley family was ever small or quiet, and he'd figured he may as well just let Molly get on with it and organise a proper party. There were balloons of all colours and shapes floating around the house, ready to be taken into the garden. Several people had been drafted into the set-up, and Harry grinned as he saw Bill and Charlie levitating a table out to the garden, Ron following along behind with plates of food floating in his wake. "Oh, there he is, the birthday boy!" Lucas practically wriggled with excitement at Molly's call, jumping happily into the rib-crushing hug she offered. "You're getting so big, oh, Luke!" She kissed his head, releasing him with a smile. "Why don't you go on outside? Victoire and the rest of the kids are out there playing, and I'm sure if you ask Uncle Ron nicely he'll let you have a biscuit or two." Luke beamed, eyeing his father hopefully, and Harry chuckled, ruffling the boy's messy hair.

"Go on, pup. I'll catch up with you in a minute." Not needing further prompting, the boy shot off towards the back door, and Harry turned to Molly, hugging her tight and kissing her cheek. "Good to see you, Molly. And thanks for all this, you really didn't have to." He knew he wasn't exactly her favourite person currently. She smiled at him, patting his cheek lightly.

"Don't you worry about it, Harry dear. This house has seen worse than a five year-old's birthday party, and with the weather as lovely as this it seemed silly to have everyone cooped up in Grimmauld. Now go on, go outside and have a drink. You, too, Remus. I'll take care of everything, you just enjoy Luke's special day," she insisted, stepping back. "George Weasley, don't you dare!" Snorting as the woman caught George doing something to the food out of the corner of her eye, Harry decided not to argue with her and followed the path his son had taken out to the garden, Remus on his heels. He had to hand it to Molly; she knew how to do a party. There was a long table off to the side piled high with all sorts of food, and a huge banner strung up between the trees reading _'Happy 5th Birthday Lucas'_ in flashing multicoloured letters. The kids were already happily involved in some ball game that only they seemed to know the rules to, and Harry grinned as Hermione waved to him from where she was chatting with Penny and Lee. He could only assume that Penny, being pregnant, was exempt from helping out, and Lee was banned due to the likelihood of him spiking something with Wheezes products. Molly didn't mind smacking her sons with a spoon for messing with the food, but she wouldn't do it to one of the in-laws.

"Hi, Harry! Hi, Remus," Hermione greeted cheerfully, leaning in to press a kiss to Harry's cheek, then doing the same to Remus. "How early did he get you up this morning?" Remus snickered, and Harry grinned.

"Six," the werewolf answered. "So it could have been worse. How come you haven't been roped into helping out?" Hermione laughed, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

"Oh, I was earlier, but they're mostly done now. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the kids, and with Penny fit to burst no one trusts Lee on his own with them."

"Oi!" Lee protested indignantly. "I'm a brilliant babysitter." Harry raised an eyebrow at the dreadlocked man, folding his arms over his chest.

"Lee, you and George had Luke once for three hours and when I came to pick him up he was four different colours and had sprouted tentacles from his arms," he pointed out bluntly. Lee looked sheepish, raising a hand to tug on one of his dreadlocks.

"Uh, yeah. We said sorry about that, though. And he was fine after a day or so!"

"He was three!" Harry exclaimed laughingly, shaking his head. "Lord knows if you two ever have any of your own they'll never be their original colour or shape."

"I don't know how Fred and Angie manage it," Lee admitted, looking over to where the two year-old twins were sat on the grass, playing with stuffed dragons that moved on their own. "I know we tease him about it, but he's actually responsible with them."

"You take that back!" Turning, Harry snickered at the mock-offended look on Fred's face as he approached with George at his side.

"He's right, Freddie," George teased, smirking. "You've become a responsible adult." Fred poked his twin in the ribs, and George danced out of the way, moving to hide behind Lee and kissing his partner's cheek. "Where is the man of the hour, anyway?"

Harry looked around, spotting his son chasing Victoire around the edge of the pond. "Probably just about to push Vicky in the pond," he mused, pointing them out to the redhead. George winced, sucking in a breath.

"Oh, she'll slap him for that," he remarked. "That dress is brand new." Harry cursed under his breath, and Remus snorted.

"Don't worry about it, cub. I'll go get them to somewhere a little less likely to end in tears," he assured, squeezing Harry's shoulder before heading over to where the kids were playing. Harry checked his watch, seeing it was just gone noon. Several more people seemed to be arriving now, and Harry could see Molly had finally released most of her sons from their work duties. The only ones still helping were Ginny and Arthur, who seemed to be finishing off setting out the last of the food. Harry was still far too full from pancakes to consider eating for a while, but he didn't doubt Luke would have room as soon as he spotted birthday cake.

"I suppose I'd better say hello to everyone, then," he mused as the garden began to fill with people. "That's my job as the parent, right? Thank everyone for coming?" Hermione laughed, smiling at him.

"Yes, you probably should. I'll catch up with you a bit later, then." She shot him a quick, pointed glance, and Harry knew then that as soon as they were alone she'd want to know everything about his day in London with Luke and Tony.

.-.-.

Shortly after one, the kids began to tire of running and get hungry, and Harry sidled in between Remus and Arthur as the two men talked. "I'm gonna go get all the presents out, we can get the cake and everything over with," he murmured. "Do you want to discreetly start wrangling?" So far, none of the children had decided to actually make a plate of food, preferring to steal the odd snack or four off the table. If cake and presents were brought out, hopefully they could be encouraged to sit down and eat a proper meal.

"Of course we can, Harry," Arthur agreed cheerfully. Harry nodded, heading over to Molly and telling her the plan, before tapping Hermione on the shoulder.

"Fancy helping me with the presents?" he asked hopefully, making her smile.

"Sure thing; Ron has Rosie, I should take the chance while I can." Snickering, Harry turned towards the house, Hermione looping an arm through his. "So how was it?" They hadn't been able to talk properly when Harry had gone over for dinner the day before, as the kids had been around.

"It was great," he enthused quietly, leading the way up the stairs. All of Luke's presents had been stashed in a spare bedroom so the boy didn't have a chance of finding them; Harry knew better than to keep them at Grimmauld. "We went and did some tourist-y stuff and went to Covent Garden and everything, and we even went to the Lion King in the evening. Luke loved it; him and Tony were having a whale of a time." He couldn't keep the grin off his face at the memory of father and son getting along so well. "It's all so easy, 'Mione. I always thought it would be harder, that Luke would throw a fit at having someone else in our lives, but… he loves Tony to pieces already. Hell, I think he misses him almost as much as I do."

"That's a good thing, though, Harry," she pointed out. "So many things have been difficult for you, you deserve something to be easy for once. And I don't doubt you'll hit problems once Luke starts growing up; you know how teenagers can get." Harry snorted; yes, he knew all too well how teenagers could get.

"Merlin, I hadn't thought of that. Whichever of us he takes after, I'm gonna go through hell. Tony was a cocky little shit from what he's told me, and, well, we both know what I was like as a teenager," he added wryly, making the brunette witch giggle. His teenage years definitely weren't the highlight of his life; Harry hoped Lucas didn't follow the same path. He knew the three of them would have problems someday, but he also knew that they would be able to work through them. He wasn't going to let Tony go a second time.

Harry's eyes widened dramatically as he heard a faint, yet unmistakable sound from outside; the sound of rockets. "Excuse me a minute," he murmured distractedly to Hermione, abandoning the presents and rushing down the stairs out to the garden. Everyone in the garden had stood still, awestruck, as the infamous red-and-gold metal suit lowered itself to the ground, repulsors burning bright and Arc Reactor shining. It was even more impressive in person than it was on TV, which was saying a lot. "Tony!" Harry called happily, running towards Iron Man. Tony flipped up the faceplate of the helmet, a cocky grin at his lips.

"Miss me much, gorgeous?" Harry's only reply was to throw himself at Tony, ignoring the hard metal of the suit and pressing a long kiss to his lips.

"Dad, why's Uncle Harry kissing Iron Man?" Victoire asked innocently from where she was by the food table, staring up at her father. Bill chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"You'll understand when you're a bit older, kiddo," he assured her.

"Papa!" Lucas squealed, racing forward to join his two fathers. Harry caught him before he could barrel into Tony's legs, lifting him up so Tony could kiss his forehead.

"Hey there, short stuff. Happy birthday," he greeted cheerily. Lucas beamed, hugging him around the neck, uncaring of the suit. When he let go, he wound his arms around Harry's neck, leaning his head on his father's shoulder.

"Papa, you didn't tell me you were Iron Man!" he accused with wide eyes, making Tony smile.

"It's a surprise, buddy. I was gonna tell you when you came out to Malibu to visit me, but then Pepper borrowed the jet today to go to a meeting, so I thought I'd fly the suit over instead," he reasoned.

"Is it safe? With all the magic, I mean?" Harry asked, worried. There wasn't as much magic around the Burrow as there used to be — the entire house had been rebuilt and re-warded after it had burned down in the war — but there was still more ambient magic than at Grimmauld.

"If I stay away from the house, and no one does any big spells, I should be fine. I'm afraid I'll have to stay in the suit while I'm here; the briefcase suit is still glitchy after the incident the other week, I don't trust it away from home just yet." Luke reached out to press a hand to the gleaming red metal, his eyes wide.

"So _cool_ ," he breathed, awed. "Papa, this is the best birthday present _ever_." Tony chuckled, lifting his son out of Harry's arms and holding him effortlessly in the crook of his arm. The suit made it a little awkward, but he'd carried more delicate things before.

"Oh, so you don't want the rest of your presents, then?" Harry asked with a grin, watching Lucas hastily shake his head.

"No, no, I never said that!" Tony snorted, meeting Harry's gaze with a smile on his face.

"Go on, go get the rest of the presents. I promise I'm done stealing the spotlight," he assured with an innocent expression. Harry chuckled, leaning in for a brief kiss.

"That's a lie and we both know it, but okay," he teased in reply. Turning away, he felt his cheeks heat as he realised everyone was staring at the three of them. "Right, uh, yeah. Everyone, this is Tony. Tony, this is… everyone," he finished lamely. He could hear Ron snigger, but thankfully the redhead took pity on him, coming up to clap Tony on his metal-cased shoulder.

"Alright, mate. Bit of a flash entrance there," he remarked, making Tony crack a grin.

"Well, it's Luke's birthday," he reasoned. "Had to pull out all the stops." Confident Tony would be okay with Ron there, Harry headed towards the house, seeing Hermione waiting in the doorway with the presents floating behind her.

"Molly's in the kitchen," the witch told him quietly. "She doesn't look too pleased, but we both know she won't make a scene, not today and not in front of half the Order. She's just getting the cake while she composes herself." Nodding, Harry eased Hermione's load a little, gathering presents into his arms and turning back to the garden. Bill, Charlie and Dora were now talking to Tony; the metamorphmagus had, thankfully, lightened up a lot after Harry had talked to her about Tony, and now didn't seem to have a problem with him. Lucas had migrated to Tony's shoulders, his hands resting carefully either side of the Iron Man's open faceplate, the awe still on his face. Harry grinned to himself; all other presents aside, getting to sit on Iron Man's shoulders was probably the highlight of Luke's life, let alone his birthday.

Molly emerged from the house with an enormous chocolate cake in front of her, and Harry set the presents by the table as Tony lowered Luke to the floor, allowing the boy to rush over to his cake and presents as everyone began to sing Happy Birthday to him. Backing up and sneaking towards Tony's side, Harry wound an arm around his waist, leaning up to press a kiss to the man's stubbled cheek. "I'm so glad you're here," he murmured, and Tony smiled back, draping an arm lightly over his shoulders.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he returned quietly. Several cameras flashed as Luke blew out his candles, and Harry and Tony both cheered along with the rest of the crowd. Only hesitating for a moment to check with Harry he was allowed, the five year-old happily dove into the pile of presents in front of him, wrapping paper flying everywhere as he discovered his new gifts. Harry was pleased to see plenty of books and clothes in amongst the toys and chocolate; if there was one thing Luke had plenty of, it was toys, but he was always reading.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Harry?" He turned at the voice, smiling at Kingsley as the man walked over.

"You mean you haven't guessed?" he teased, drawing a laugh from the tall man.

"Fair enough. Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic," Kingsley introduced, holding out a hand for Tony to shake.

"Minister? Is that like, president?" Tony asked, carefully taking the man's hand.

"Just about, yes. I'm the magical equivalent of Britain's Prime Minister," Kingsley confirmed. "Which means Harry really should have asked me before filling you in on magic. There's laws to these things." Harry grinned sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.

"Sorry, Kings," he started, but the bald man chuckled, waving him off.

"No, no, don't worry. I think I owe you a favour or two, after all," he remarked wryly.

"Damn, gorgeous; you have some friends in high up places," Tony declared, and Harry shrugged.

"Saviour of the wizarding world," he pointed out evenly, smiling. "Most of the people on our side either had high positions already, or were elevated to them after the war. I tend not to think about it too much, to be honest. Most people here have known me since I was eleven or twelve," he added wryly.

"Dad! Papa! Come look at my presents!" Luke urged, interrupting the conversation and tugging on Harry's hand, dragging him and Tony over to look at the pile of gifts. Molly and Arthur were both cutting and plating up cake, surrounded by eager children and equally eager adults who were failing to look casual about it.

"Wow, kiddo; great haul, huh?" Tony enthused as Luke showed off everything he'd been given.

"Yeah, you're very lucky. Have you thanked everyone?" Harry asked, stifling a smile when the boy rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Of course I did, Dad," he huffed, as if anything else were unthinkable. Tony sniggered under his breath, and Harry gave him an amused look.

"Good boy. Why don't you take some of your new toys over to play with Alex and Vicky after lunch? I'll pack up all your other stuff so we can take it home later, yeah?" Luke bit his lip, looking torn.

"Wanna stay with Papa," he murmured, arm winding around Tony's leg. Tony's smile softened, and he crouched down with a mechanical whir, resting a hand on Lucas' shoulder.

"I'll be here until the night, buddy; you'll have plenty of time to hang with me later. Go get some lunch and you can sit with me before you go play. Sound good?" Brightening up, Lucas nodded, running off towards the table where Lee began helping him fill a plate. Harry gratefully accepted a box from Hermione, kneeling down to start packing away everything that wasn't a toy.

"Can you eat alright in the suit, love?" he asked, eyeing the man's metal-cased hands, and Tony smirked, winking.

"You could feed me if you wanted to," he suggested, earning a swat to the shoulder that he probably didn't feel. "Ooh, okay, not in public, on it. But no, it's fine; I'm totally good to eat. Hell, these gauntlets are probably cleaner than some of the surfaces in my workshop." Harry snorted at that, nodding in agreement, and put the lid on the box when he was finished packing. "So, who around here isn't going to accidentally kill me with magic if I try and talk to them?" Tony asked nonchalantly, and Hermione laughed.

"I don't know what Harry's been telling you, but they're not that bad! The only people likely to have problems are Molly and Ginny, and they won't cause a fuss at Luke's birthday. Not when he's obviously ecstatic at having you here."

"Ah, yes, Ginny and I have met," Tony replied, grimacing slightly. Harry looked around for the redhead in question, seeing her stood talking to Fred and Angelina, who were holding a twin each. She wasn't looking in their direction, but he knew it wouldn't be long before she had something to say.

"I'll go get us some food, then," Harry declared once Lucas had returned with his plate piled with food. The boy stared at Tony, who gave him a small grin.

"I can't actually sit down in the suit, pup. Not on one of these chairs, anyway; I'd probably break them," he admitted ruefully, eyeing the plastic garden chairs dotted about. Lucas shrugged, dragging a chair up to Tony's side anyway and hopping into it, his plate on his lap. Satisfied they were both settled, Harry left them to it with a smile on his face, heading towards the food table. Grabbing two paper plates, he expertly filled them both with practice that came from being a single parent, ducking between people and trying not to step on any of the kids.

"That's him then, is it?" He looked up at the voice, grinning at Neville.

"Yeah. That's Tony. You should come over and say hi, get to know him a bit. You and Luna both, I think you'd like him," he replied, carefully stacking two cups of water on top of each other, holding them in the hand that wasn't holding the plates.

"We definitely will, but he seems a bit occupied at the moment." Neville nodded towards Tony, and Harry turned, laughing as he saw Tony playfully lifting the twin babies like they were weights as he chatted with Fred and George, Angelina watching on while Luke and the other kids laughed. Harry worried about the results of introducing Tony and the twins, but it had to happen eventually. Hopefully with the twins on magic-ban around Tony they wouldn't get too far in their destruction.

"Daft sod," Harry murmured fondly, shaking his head. "I'll catch up with you later, then, Nev." Neville nodded, heading to take a plate back to Luna, and Harry moved up to grab a couple of rolls for him and Tony each, stopping when his way was blocked.

"The only reason I'm not yelling at you, Harry Potter, is because there are kids around and I don't want to spoil Luke's day." He sighed internally, turning to face the irate redheaded woman.

"I didn't know he was coming, Gin, but I'm glad he's here. It's Luke's birthday, he's missed Tony. Leave it alone," he snapped under his breath.

"This is a family party! He has no right to be here!" Harry glared at her, the water in his cups spilling over the edges.

"He has _every_ right to be here. He's Luke's father, he _is_ family. I don't know what your problem is with him, Ginny, but you need to get over it because Tony isn't going anywhere." Not bothering to wait for her reply, he turned away to head back to his partner and son, who were now on their own, Tony talking while Luke ate. Getting closer, he slid a hand onto the man's shoulder, leaning up to kiss him. "This height difference in the suit is really annoying, y'know that?" Tony laughed, accepting his plate and drink, raising an eyebrow at the furrow of Harry's brows.

"Everything okay, gorgeous?" Harry sighed, cheek pressing to the cool shoulder of the suit.

"Yeah, just Ginny. I told her to shove off, though. It's nothing." Tony craned awkwardly to kiss Harry's forehead, and Harry smiled, pulling him into a proper kiss.

"Da-ad! Papa! Kissing is icky!" They were both smiling as they parted, giving Luke grins.

"Now that right there is a big fat lie; kissing is awesome. I'm sure you'll find that out soon," Tony teased, chuckling as the boy shook his head defiantly.

"Don't encourage him, Tony. He's your son; once he starts kissing people, he won't stop," Harry ribbed playfully, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend. Tony tried to look offended, giving up after a moment or two.

"Only until he finds the right one, like I did," Tony murmured, turning brown doe-eyes on the younger man that Harry was never able to resist. Smiling, Harry leaned in closer to him, wishing Tony weren't wearing the suit. Still, it was better than nothing.

"Sap," he muttered, shoving a mini sausage roll between the man's lips to get him to stop smirking. Romantic bastard.

.-.-.

After lunch, Luke spent the majority of the party at Tony's side, stubbornly insisting that he could play with his cousins whenever he wanted; his Papa wouldn't be there very long. Neither Harry nor Tony could bring themselves to argue, especially not with the grin on their son's face. "Papa, will you make me fly with the Iron Man?" he asked hopefully, arms hooked around the man's neck. The sun was beginning to set, and the majority of people had gone home. Luke and Victoire were the only kids still awake, though even Luke was beginning to flag after all the excitement. "I'll hold on tight, I promise."

"Sorry, kiddo; the suit isn't designed for passengers," Tony responded apologetically, internally rolling his eyes when Harry relaxed at his words. Honestly, did the man think he would actually take a five year-old on a ride with the suit? Luke's face fell, and Harry reached over to ruffle the boy's hair, smiling.

"I know it's not quite the same, pup, but there's a present waiting for you back home that might cheer you up a bit. I didn't want to bring it here because I didn't want your cousins getting jealous, but… how about tomorrow we go out on your new training broom, hmm?" Luke's eyes went impossibly round at Harry's whisper, and Tony hid a smile, meeting his partner's gaze. Harry winked, leaning in to kiss his son's forehead. "Don't tell the others, yeah? It'll be our little secret for a bit."

"Thank you, Daddy!" the boy gushed, jumping to hug his father around the neck and kiss his cheek soundly. "Best birthday ever," he declared for quite possibly the thousandth time that day. Tony chuckled, offering the boy a grin.

"It's a shame I won't be here to see it. You'll have to practice real hard and show off what you've learned next time I'm over, yeah?" he challenged lightly, chuckling when Luke nodded, a grin on his face. The boy suddenly frowned, squirming in Harry's arms.

"Need the loo, Dad," he muttered, and Harry nodded, setting him on the ground. The boy raced off towards the house, and Tony turned to the younger man with raised eyebrows.

"Don't want his cousins to get jealous?" he asked bemusedly, and Harry's grin turned sheepish.

"More that I don't want Molly to murder me," he admitted under his breath. "She's of the firm opinion that kids shouldn't have brooms until they're at least eight." Tony snorted.

"Then I guess we're both bending the truth for the kid. I can totally take passengers in this thing, but… not until he's at least, like ten. You, however, are welcome to a ride whenever you want," he added in a quiet drawl, the innuendo clear. Harry laughed, pulling him into a slow kiss.

"I wish you could take the suit off," he murmured against the older man's lips. "And I wish you could stay the night."

"I'm working on it," Tony assured, half of his brain already focused on the adjustments he'd have to make to the briefcase suit. The journey by Iron Man wasn't actually too bad, and if he could make the suit easily removable away from JARVIS he could see himself flying over every spare day he had. "I don't… I don't want to be like my father. I don't want him to think I won't be around." His childhood was full of let-downs and disappointments and the last thing he wanted was for Luke to have the same.

"Oh, Tony, love," Harry sighed, reaching up to cup his cheek, not bothered in the slightest by the metal encasing his boyfriend's head. "He's not going to think that. It's early days yet, but we'll sort something out. I promise; you'll be around for everything from now on. And soon we'll think about moving over to Malibu to be with you. You're not going to miss any more of his life, Tony, and you are _not_ your father." Tony could do nothing but kiss him again, holding him close, though they broke apart when Lucas barrelled up to them, practically slamming into Tony's legs.

"Careful there, kiddo; don't want you to hurt yourself," Tony warned, pulling away from Harry a little. They turned at hearing footsteps, and Harry smiled at Ron and Hermione, Rose asleep in Ron's arms.

"We're heading out, mate. Need to get this little one to bed," Ron declared, stroking his daughter's hair with a smile. "We'll see you for dinner in a couple of days, yeah?"

"If not sooner," Harry promised, carefully hugging his friend without waking the toddler, dropping a kiss to Rose's curly locks. "Thanks for coming."

"Thank you for my present," Luke added, hugging around Ron's legs with a smile. Ron reached down to ruffle the boy's hair, grinning.

"You're welcome, kid. Happy birthday, I'm glad you've had a good day." Hermione crouched to hug Luke goodbye properly, kissing his temple, then straightened up to do the same to Harry.

"It was good seeing you, Tony. Even if you did spend most of your time with these two here," she added teasingly. He bent a little to kiss her cheek; there was no way she'd be able to reach up to him, even on tiptoes, with how tall the suit made him. Even Harry struggled.

"What can I say? I don't think Luke would have let me go anywhere," Tony replied wryly. He had, during the course of the day, managed to talk to most of the people there. Even Molly Weasley, who had spent the majority of the conversation with pursed lips and narrowed eyes, hinting that Harry deserved better. The only people he hadn't talked to were some of the Order members who had only dropped by for a few minutes, and Ginny, who seemed to be avoiding him vehemently. He wasn't going to complain about that.

"It's fine. I'm sure we'll all have plenty of time to get to know you better," Ron reasoned, smiling. "See you next time you're over." Shaking the redhead's hand, Tony nodded, and the small family walked away to apparate just outside the garden gate.

With them gone, the only people left were Harry, Luke, Tony, Remus, and the few Weasleys that lived at the Burrow still. Arthur and Remus were dismantling the now-empty table, and Molly and Ginny were stacking chairs ready to be put back in the shed. "Sir," JARVIS said suddenly into Tony's ear. "If you want to return home on time, it would be best to leave within the next fifteen minutes." Tony frowned, and Harry made a noise of displeasure, clearly close enough to hear.

"Looks like my carriage is about to become a pumpkin," the American murmured, one hand resting lightly on Luke's shoulder as the boy started to doze off against his leg. "And it looks like this one needs to get to bed, too."

"Yeah, we should probably head home," Harry agreed quietly. Neither of them moved despite their words, until Tony finally sighed. He didn't want to leave, but Pepper would skin him alive if he was home late and overslept for the meetings she had so painstakingly rearranged just to give him the day off.

"Alright, pup," he started, and Luke jumped, staring up at him. "You gotta go to bed, and I need to head back home before Pepper gets mad at me. Come on, give me a hug." He dropped to his knees with a faint clanking sound, holding out his arms. Luke didn't hesitate to dive into them, wapping his own small arms around Tony's neck so tight that, had he not been wearing the suit, Tony was sure he'd be finding it hard to breathe. "I'll see you soon, I promise. Whether I come here or you and your Dad come out and visit me, I don't know yet, but either way it won't be long, okay?" Luke nodded against Tony's cheek, pulling back enough to receive a kiss to the forehead. "Be good for your Dad, and happy birthday little man. I love you."

"Love you, Papa. Thank you for coming to my birthday party," Luke mumbled, clearly well on his way to sleep. Reluctantly letting go of his son, Tony got back to his feet, meeting Harry's knowing green gaze.

"I'll see you soon," he repeated, sliding a metal arm around Harry's waist. One of Harry's hands came up to rest on his chest, just above the Arc Reactor, while the other cupped the back of his neck. "We'll Skype and sort something out." Harry nodded, leaning in for a long kiss, mouth yielding easily to Tony's. Tony kissed back fiercely, knowing it would be his last chance for a while.

"I miss you already," Harry told him, smiling, and Tony chuckled. "Fly safe, and text me when you get home, just so I know. And thanks again for coming; you really made Luke's day."

"Well seeing you two made my week, so I can't claim to have done it unselfishly," Tony retorted, winking. He let his forehead press to Harry's, kissing him once more. "I love you, and I'll call you tomorrow after my meetings."

"I love you, too, Tony. I look forward to it. Tell Pepper thanks for me, would you? I owe her one." Tony snorted, managing to wrench himself away from his lover, Luke stepping away to lean against Harry's legs instead.

"Just buy her some shoes and she'll love you forever," the genius replied teasingly. He turned as Remus and Arthur approached them, having finished with the table, and offered the two men a grin. "I'm heading out, work to do tomorrow. Thank you for letting me into your garden on such short notice," he added to Arthur, who chuckled.

"Not a problem, not a problem! It was very nice to meet you, and I hope next time you're over you don't have to stay in that marvellous suit of yours," the balding man replied cheerfully.

"Oh, you can count on it," Tony promised. He held a hand out to Remus, who rolled his eyes and hugged him briefly instead. "I'll see you again soon, Remus."

"You'd better. Have a safe journey home." Shaking Arthur's hand, but not brave enough to say anything to Molly and Ginny, Tony blew a kiss to Harry before flipping the faceplate down, stepping into a free area of the garden and engaging the repulsors. Unable to help himself and knowing Luke was watching, he did a smooth loop in the sky before rocketing off, JARVIS already calibrating the GPS to get him home. A smile on his face as he flew, Tony just hoped he didn't have to wait too long before he was back. His son was already five years old, and he'd missed so much; he couldn't bear to miss another minute.


	24. Chapter 24

Harry smiled as he watched Luke play on his Stark-tech console, one of his many Iron Man figures tucked under his arm. He'd taken to carrying them around a lot more often, and Harry had heard him addressing them as 'Papa' a couple of times. It was sweet, but just made him wish Lucas could talk to his actual father, rather than a toy. It had been a week and a half since the birthday party, and Harry missed Tony like hell.

Flicking over the TV as Lucas' favourite show ended, he paused as BBC News showed a flash of Iron Man, turning back to the channel and turning the volume up. "Iron Man seemed to have met his match today in San Francisco, facing off against several villains of unknown origin. While the superhero did manage to defeat his enemies, sources report that Mr Stark is currently receiving medical attention, and is in critical condition." Harry went chalk white, turning the TV off before they could show pictures; he didn't want Lucas to see that. Fumbling with his phone, Harry dialled Pepper's number, begging her to pick up.

"Pepper, it's Harry," he said as soon as she answered. "I saw the news; what happened?"

"Tony's okay," she said instantly, and he let out a sigh of relief. "He's… he was hurt, pretty bad, I won't lie to you. But he's been released from hospital, and they've said he'll be just fine." Harry's chest clenched in panic; how bad was 'pretty bad'?

"I'm coming over," he told her, already on his feet. "Are you at the house?"

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing, I need to see him," Harry insisted. He needed to see for himself that Tony was okay. "I'll be over in about twenty minutes." Hanging up without waiting for a reply, he ran through to the kitchen, finding Remus hunched over a mug of peppermint tea. It had been the last day of the full moon the night before, and the werewolf was still recovering. "Moony, Tony's been hurt, I need to go over and see him." Remus' expression grew serious, and he nodded.

"Of course. How long will you be?" Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"A day, maybe two? Pepper says he's okay, but… I need to see him." Remus nodded in understanding, gingerly getting to his feet.

"I'll look after Luke, it's no problem. You go be with Tony," he urged. Harry smiled, hugging his godfather gently.

"You're the best, Moony. I won't be too long, I promise, and I'll call tomorrow. Thank you." Remus smiled, shaking his head, and Harry kissed him on the cheek before sprinting up to his bedroom, shoving a couple of changes of clothes in a bag and running back downstairs. "Pup," he called, returning to the living room. Luke had paused his game, and was looking worried. "I need to go over to Malibu for a couple of days, alright? Your papa got hurt when fighting a villain, and I need to make sure he's okay."

"Can I come?" Luke asked instantly, and Harry shook his head. He didn't want Luke seeing Tony severely injured, or Tony putting on a brave face for his son.

"No, love, it's best if you stay with Uncle Moony. But I'll give him an extra big hug from you, and you'll see him soon, okay?" Luke frowned, but nodded, and Harry bundled him in a hug, kissing his forehead. "I'll see you in a few days, sweetheart. Be good for Remus, I love you."

"I love you too, Dad. Tell Papa I love him and I hope he feels better soon." Harry smiled at his son's words, setting him down on the floor.

"Will do, pup." Stepping back, Harry cleared his mind, turning on the spot with a soft pop, and smiled when he appeared in the living room of Tony's Malibu house, though it turned to a wince when one of the lightbulbs blew. Whoops. Not wasting any time, he immediately made his way to the bedroom. He ran into Pepper in the hallway, and she let out a yelp when she saw him.

"Harry! When did you get here?" she asked. He offered a half-smile, pulling her into a brief hug.

"About three seconds ago. Where is he?"

"Right. Magic. Yeah. He's in bed, but awake. You can go in and see him if you like." She wound an arm around his waist, smiling. "I'm glad you're here, Harry. He's missed you a lot this week."

"It's mutual," he assured her, releasing her. Gently nudging Tony's door, his breath caught in his throat when he saw his partner. Tony was lying with the duvet over his calves, shirtless and in pyjama bottoms, his torso almost entirely covered with bandages. There was another bandage on his forehead, and his left arm had a large gauze pad taped to the bicep. "Oh, Tony," he breathed, drawing the man's attention.

"Harry. Pepper called you?" Tony asked, confused. Harry let his bag drop to the floor and stepped closer, toeing off his shoes.

"No, I saw on the news. God, Tony, you look awful. Are you alright?" Tony laughed, smirking roguishly.

"I'm just fine, gorgeous. Flesh wounds," he insisted. Harry huffed, crawling into bed beside his lover. He cupped Tony's cheek gently, stroking the edge of his goatee. "Kiss me," Tony urged, making Harry smile.

"Demanding little bugger," he murmured, though leaned in obligingly. Tony moaned happily into the kiss, his good arm coming up to wrap around Harry's back. "Scared the shit out of me when I saw the news."

"News always makes it look worse," Tony insisted, making Harry settle down against him. "I'm fine, I promise. Where's Luke?"

"Home with Remus," Harry replied, running gentle hands over Tony's bandages. If not for the Arc Reactor, he'd try some medi-magic. Leaning his head on Tony's uninjured shoulder, he slung an arm around the American's waist, sighing. "This isn't going to work, Tony." He felt Tony tense underneath him, and craned his neck to meet his gaze, frowning when he saw the fear in his eyes.

"That's usually what people say before breaking up with me," he remarked false-casually, and Harry's eyes widened.

"Oh, God, no, don't be ridiculous," he assured, seeing Tony visibly relax. "I love you, Tony. Never doubt that. No, I meant the whole long-distance thing. Like I said the other week, I can do my PotterCo work from anywhere. Maybe we should think about Luke and I moving over here sooner than planned." Tony's eyebrows rose, and Harry smiled, stroking the Arc Reactor gently. "I won't cope if this is going to become a regular thing, Tony. Finding out you're hurt through the _news_ of all things; what if next time it's worse? I need to be here." Tony's fingers traced numbers on the back of Harry's t-shirt, and Harry noticed his eyes droop a little.

"I can't see any reason to argue with that plan. It's a good plan. I like that plan." Harry chuckled at Tony's words, leaning up for a kiss.

"I'm glad you approve," he replied, smiling. "Go to sleep, love. I'll still be here when you wake up, I promise." Tony hummed, eyes half-shut.

"Stay with me," he pleaded, making Harry sigh.

"I can't, I don't want to hurt you." Tony rolled his eyes, hugging him closer.

"You'll hurt me more by leaving," he insisted petulantly. Harry laughed, pressing a kiss to Tony's collarbone.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep," he promised. "Then I need to talk to Pepper." Tony pouted, but seemed to accept it, as he shifted to get a little more comfortable, resting his cheek on Harry's hair and closing his eyes.

"Glad you're here," he murmured sleepily, bringing a smile to Harry's lips. The wizard stayed until he was sure Tony was sleeping peacefully, then reluctantly crawled out of the embrace, getting up to go find Pepper. The redhead was in the kitchen, a mug of coffee in her hands.

"How is he?" she asked, and Harry sighed.

"He's sleeping," he replied, hunting for a glass to get some water. "But he doesn't seem to be in pain or anything. Not that he's showing, at least." Pepper raised a knowing eyebrow, and he rolled his eyes. "I know, I know, he never admits to being in pain. But he really seems alright." Perching on a bar stool, he sipped at his water, running a hand through his hair. "We're going to talk about Luke and I moving out here a little earlier than expected. I can't… I can't deal with it, Pepper. I spent nearly six years missing him, I don't want to spend any more time away from him. Especially when he's going and getting himself nearly killed every bloody five minutes." Pepper moved to stand beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"The perils of loving Tony Stark, huh?" she mused, making him snort wryly.

"Merlin, tell me about it," he agreed emphatically, leaning towards her a little.

"I think it'll be good for you and Luke to move out here. For all three of you," she told him, smiling. "Tony spends all the time you're not here missing you like crazy — trust me, it's a little pathetic, and he gets even less work done than usual — and, well…"

"Luke needs both his dads. And I need Tony," Harry finished for her, a grin at his lips. "You can head home, if you like. I can handle him from here, and you look like you could use the sleep." Pepper groaned softly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I haven't slept in about twenty-eight hours," she admitted, and Harry winced.

"Go, get Happy to drive you home," he urged. "Or crash in the spare room. Either way, just get some sleep, I'll handle Mr Cranky-Pants in there." Pepper smirked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"I bet you will," she drawled, and he shoved her playfully. "I think I'll take the spare room; I don't want to disturb Happy." Harry nodded, setting his empty glass on the counter and getting to his feet, kissing Pepper's cheek. It was a weight off his shoulders that she didn't seem to still hate him over the phone calls when Tony had been kidnapped.

"Sleep well, Pep. And for the record, I missed you almost as much as I missed him," he added with a grin, making her smile.

"I missed you, too, Harry. Not just because you make Tony easier to deal with. Sleep well, and I'll see you in the morning." They went their separate ways, Harry silently slipping into Tony's room. Tony was still fast asleep, and Harry smiled, shedding his jeans and socks and climbing into bed beside him, pulling the duvet up over his hips. Tony didn't stir, but his arm instinctively wound around Harry, holding him close. Harry smiled to himself, closing his eyes, and imagined sleeping beside Tony every night. Hopefully without the bandages, though.

.-.-.

Harry was woken by the sun streaming through the large window of Tony's bedroom, and all of a sudden he was seventeen years old again.

The faint whirr of the Arc Reactor by his ear pulled him back to the present, and he blinked one eye open, peering groggily at his lover. Tony was still fast asleep, and Harry frowned at the many bandages covering the older man; some of them were starting to bleed through, and would need to be changed. Sighing, Harry pressed a kiss to Tony's rough cheek, reluctantly escaping the embrace and getting out of bed. Not bothering to put proper clothing on, knowing Pepper was the only one around and she'd seen him in less, Harry padded barefoot through to the kitchen, opening the fridge. It surprised him to see there was actually food in there, but he assumed that was Pepper's doing, and pulled out some milk and eggs. Rooting through the cupboards for flour, he set abut making pancake batter; if he remembered correctly, the one thing that cheered Tony up (other than sex and working on machines) was pancakes. "JARVIS, could I get some music, please? Whatever the most recent playlist Tony had on is fine," he requested of the AI.

"Of course, sir," JARVIS replied, and after a beat of silence, ACDC started playing from the surround speakers. Harry grinned; he should've guessed. Humming along under his breath as he cooked enough pancakes for three, he dug out some strawberries and bananas and chopped them up, squirting a little cream onto the top of each stack after plating up. The coffee machine poured a mug of coffee, and Harry balanced it on the tray, pouring a glass of orange juice for himself. Setting the third plate in the microwave and scrawling a quick note to Pepper to let her know about it, he picked up the tray, carrying it through to Tony's room. Smiling when he saw his partner still asleep, he set the tray on the bed, leaning over to shake his shoulder gently.

"Tony, love, it's time to get up," he murmured fondly. Tony's brow furrowed, and he reached up halfheartedly to swat at him.

"Don't wanna go to school, Pepper," he mumbled, making Harry laugh.

"Not Pepper, sweetheart. Come on; I made breakfast. And coffee." Picking up the mug, he waved it temptingly under Tony's nose, and the man's eyes cracked open.

"Coffee please," he requested groggily. Harry smiled, helping Tony sit up, frowning when the man winced.

"Are you in pain?" he asked, concerned. Tony shook his head, making feeble grabby-hands towards the coffee mug.

"No pain, only coffee," the American insisted, making Harry roll his eyes, though he handed the mug over. Tony practically drained it in one go, looking much more awake when he set it down. "I smell pancakes. Do I smell pancakes?"

"Yes, you smell pancakes. I made breakfast," Harry repeated, shifting the tray to sit between them, moving to sit beside Tony. The older man's face lit up, and he beamed happily, leaning in to kiss Harry.

"I love you," he declared. "You wonderful, fantastic, pancake-making man."

"You're obviously feeling better, then," Harry noted, amused as he watched Tony practically inhale the pancakes.

"Much. Told you I was fine," Tony insisted. Harry started on his own pancakes, at a more reasonable pace than Tony. "God, these pancakes are amazing. You definitely need to move in with me right now, so you can cook pancakes for me all the time."

"If I cook pancakes for you all the time, you'll be too fat to fit in the Iron Man," Harry teased, playfully poking his stomach, mindful of his injuries.

"Not if we have sex marathons every weekend to burn off the pancake-calories," Tony reasoned diplomatically. Harry snorted, shaking his head.

"That's your life plan, is it? Sex, pancakes and Iron Man?" Tony nodded seriously, leaning in to press a strawberry-flavoured kiss to Harry's lips.

"It sounds like a brilliant life plan. And Lucas, of course. Sex, pancakes, Iron Man and playing superheroes with Luke." He set aside his empty plate, hand sneaking underneath Harry's t-shirt. "But especially the sex. I am definitely, definitely looking forward to the sex." Harry allowed Tony to kiss him for a long moment, before pulling away, shooting him a scolding look.

"Tony, you're covered in bandages and nearly died yesterday. I love you, but I'm not having sex with you." Tony pouted, chin resting on Harry's shoulder as the Brit finished his pancakes and drained his juice, leaning down to put the tray on the floor. "I can't move in with you right now," he murmured, running a hand through Tony's hair. "It would be too sudden a change for Luke. But Merlin, Tony, I want to."

"How about one week with me, three weeks in England. Then when he's a little more used to it, two weeks here, two weeks in England. Then three here, one at home, and then you living here and only going back to England occasionally. You have magic; you can go see them every weekend if you want to," Tony pointed out rationally. Harry smiled, leaning into Tony's side.

"Sounds perfect. I'll have a meeting with the PotterCo board members when I get home to discuss the move, but I'm pretty hands-off anyway. They'll cope without me there 24/7," he assured. Tony kissed his temple, cupping his cheek.

"How long have I got you for this time, then?" he asked, and Harry smiled.

"I'll head back sometime tomorrow, unless Remus has any problems with Luke. So make the most of it while I'm here," he replied. Tony whined low in his throat, eyes annoyed.

"You say that, and yet you tell me I can't have sex with you. That seems like a waste of two days to me," he pointed out. Harry laughed, leaning in for a slow kiss.

"I won't have sex with you," he confirmed. "I might, however, let you join me in the shower. If you're a good boy and let me sort your bandages." Tony's smirk grew predatory, and he nodded obediently.

"I'll be as good as gold."

.-.-.

Clean and with fresh bandages, Harry got Tony back into bed in a wifebeater and cotton pyjama bottoms, and took their tray back to the kitchen. He was surprised to see Pepper up, wearing a t-shirt that was obviously Tony's and a pair of plaid shorts, eating the pancakes he'd made for her. "Morning," he greeted, tugging playfully on her messy ponytail as he passed.

"Good morning. Thanks for the pancakes, by the way; they're amazing," she added, making him smile.

"You're very welcome, I'm glad you like them."

"How's Tony doing?" Harry smiled at the question, setting the plates in the unnecessarily high-tech dishwasher.

"Fine, now he's had coffee and pancakes. He showered and I changed his bandages, I think we're planning on staying in bed and watching movies all day. You're welcome to join us, if you like," he added. If anyone deserved a day of bed and movies and junk food, it was Pepper. She bit her lip, looking torn.

"I've got to talk to the press on Tony's behalf at ten, but… I might take you up on that afterwards," she replied, and Harry grinned.

"Well, if I have my way, Tony will only be leaving that bed to go to the bathroom. Just come join us when you're done with the press." She sighed, the look on her face betraying just how reluctant she was to go talk to the vultures that were California's many journalists. He squeezed her shoulder supportively, offering a smile. "You'll be fine. See you later, Pep."

He joined Tony in the bed when he returned to the bedroom, seeing the billionaire had already started a movie playing. Harry thought it was Lord of the Rings, though he wasn't sure which one. "Pepper's got a press meet at ten, but I told her to come hang with us when she's finished. The bed's big enough for three," he explained, rolling his eyes at Tony's suggestive smirk.

"Oh, how I wish you were saying that in a very different context," he replied wistfully, earning a halfhearted swat. Harry knew damn well that Tony would never sleep with Pepper; they had far too close a friendship for that.

"No, you don't, pervert," he scolded lightly, resting his head on Tony's chest as the older man's arm came around him. "JARVIS, dim the lights." The lights lowered, and Harry smiled.

"Since when does JARVIS listen to you?" Tony asked curiously. "He's only supposed to listen to me and Pepper."

"Since he decided that listening to me would be better for everyone," Harry replied smugly. Tony snickered, stroking Harry's arm lightly.

"Well, I did programme him to be smart." Harry rolled his eyes, kissing Tony's neck.

"Shut up and watch the film, sweetheart."

.-.

They were halfway through Return of the King by the time Pepper returned, and she kicked off her heels almost as soon as she entered the bedroom, wandering over to Tony's dressing room to find a t-shirt and some shorts to steal. "God, I hate the media," she muttered, pulling her hair out of its neat ponytail and collapsing on the bed on Tony's free side.

"That bad?" Tony asked knowingly, and she nodded, shuffling around until her head was on his thigh, her knees bent.

"Half of them seemed to think you were dying. The other half thought it was proof of how Iron Man isn't doing a good enough job. For God's sake, you were outnumbered ten to one! The fact that you _didn't_ die is a freaking miracle!" she ranted angrily. Harry reached out to stroke her hair, half-sprawled on Tony's other side.

"Have some popcorn," he urged, offering the bowl. She hesitated, but eventually gave in, happily taking the sugary treat. "Let's just take some time to chill out and be happy that Tony isn't dead, yeah?"

"I'm happy that Tony isn't dead," Tony piped up, making both Harry and Pepper snort. "I'm sorry for not being there to prove I'm not dead, Pep."

"Not your fault, Tony," Pepper replied, rubbing his calf soothingly. "How are you feeling, anyway?"

"A little fuzzy from the medication," Tony admitted. "But fine. Harry's been taking very good care of me." Pepper smiled in satisfaction, reaching out to squeeze Harry's knee with one hand. The three of them settled down to watch the movie, and when it ended, Tony hummed thoughtfully. "Hey, Harry, wanna see the specs for Stark Tower? I think you'll like it." Harry raised an eyebrow, nodding. "JARVIS, specs. Blow up our personal floor." Harry blinked in surprise as a 3D holographic display appeared in front of them. It spun quickly, showing the layout of a large floor split into several rooms. "This is the family living room," Tony told him, and the walls fleshed out in colour and furniture filled in, allowing Harry to see it. It was very open plan, with a huge U-shaped sofa in front of an enormous plasma screen, a coffee table in the centre. There was enough space for Luke to play, and the kitchen was attached; all sleek silver worktops and state-of-the-art technology, that Tony would no doubt be building himself.

"Wow, it looks great," Harry remarked, making Tony's grin widen.

"TV has everything; Blu-ray, 3D screen, X-box, Nintendo, Playstation. There's everything I have here, and more; surround sound, holo-screen capability, JARVIS, everything. If there's anything special you want in the kitchen, tell me and I'll make it happen." Harry shrugged, unable to think of things at that moment. "And this is Luke's room." Harry grinned as the holographic walls became a riot of colour, and realised that there were superheroes painted all over the walls. With Iron Man, of course, in pride of place. "I'll get the decorator to do that. His room is all hooked up too, though JARVIS will have the ability to turn it off. No playing video games at three AM when he's older," he added with a smirk. "I've put the plans in to trick it out with some pretty cool stuff; holo-screen along one wall so he can draw or whatever, with all the same games from his handheld console. Secret hidey-hole behind the wardrobe — his own private Narnia — and I have ideas for a whole bunch of toys I really think he'll love."

Harry shared a look with Pepper, smiling; Tony's excitement about having Lucas live with him was contagious. "Here we have Luke's bathroom; pretty standard stuff, nothing exciting there," Tony continued, flicking through rooms with his hands. "Luke's playroom; a lot of my ideas for that are still in progress, but it's going to be _awesome_. Here we have our living room, for when short stuff is in bed." The room was smaller that the family room, with a three-seater sofa wide enough for them to cuddle up on, in front of an artificial fireplace and plasma screen TV. Harry was impressed at Tony's restraint — there was no bed, nor sex swing, or any of the other things he'd joked about — and he thought the room looked perfect. "And, the crown jewel; our room." Harry let out an audible gasp as Tony showed him the bedroom; it was _incredible_. The room was at least as big as Tony's room currently, if not bigger, with the bed on a raised platform against one wall. There was, of course, a television, with a dressing room for each of them, plenty of shelves lining the walls, and an en-suite bathroom that Harry knew hundreds of people would kill for.

"Is that a balcony?" Harry asked in surprise, watching Tony grin and flick the screen.

"It is, yes. It's the perfect place to watch the sunset; not as pretty as a Malibu sunset, but still pretty damn good. What do you think?" Tony's expression was hopeful, but Harry grinned widely.

"I love it. It's perfect," he enthused. "But I'm surprised; no workshop?" Tony smiled sheepishly, pulling up a new image.

"Oh, no, there's plenty of workshops. My private one, through my dressing room — just to make sure Lucas can't get in — and while the top three main floors are residential, everything else is Stark Industries. It's beautiful, I can't wait to play in it. Oh, also, the roof level. Also known as party town." With another flick of Tony's wrist, the roof was shown, making Harry grin. Half of it was open, and he was intrigued by the curving stairway onto what looked like a landing pad.

"For the Iron Man?" he presumed, and Tony nodded.

"That'll be better to show rather than explain, but it's going to be beautiful." The rest of the roof was covered, and Harry could see what Tony meant by 'party town'. A long bar ran across one wall, and small plasma screens dotted the walls in various places. There were loveseats interspaced, and several small tables with bar stools. A clear area with sleek wooden floors was clearly meant for dancing, and Harry didn't doubt the sound system was cutting edge. "There's a couple of floors above that, but most of it is spare guests suites and boring crap I haven't figured out what to do with yet."

"It all looks incredible. And it'll be ready in seven months?" he checked, and Tony nodded, minimising the screens.

"We'll be in before Christmas. I'll take you out to the site when I'm back on my feet, let you get a feel for the size. And Pep and Happy are moving in the floor below, so hey, 24/7 babysitters," he added with a grin.

"Oh, hell no. Luke's adorable, but I am not your on-call babysitter, Tony Stark," Pepper cut in, turning to look up at them. "I already have to deal with you, I'm not dealing with your kid too. And could you imagine Happy babysitting?" Tony snorted at the mental image.

"Luke would know six kinds of martial arts before the age of ten," he remarked, before frowning thoughtfully. "Actually, that's not a bad idea…" Harry rolled his eyes, poking Tony's shoulder.

"No pressuring the kid. If he wants to learn, he can, if not, don't make him. Speaking of, I'm going to go call him and see how things are doing. Get something fun and trashy lined up to watch? I'll bring back more popcorn, and some soda." Dropping a kiss on Tony's lips, Harry removed himself from the tangled puppy-pile they had become, digging for his phone in his bag. Leaving the bedroom, he dialled the home phone, waiting for Remus to pick up. "Hey, it's me," he greeted, smiling when his godfather answered. "How are things?" Harry filled a bowl with popcorn kernels, sticking it in the microwave, and grabbed three bottles of soda from the fridge.

"Hello, love. Things are fine, Luke and I were just finishing up with bath time. How's Tony?"

"Hurt, but only superficial wounds; he'll be fine. We've been able to talk about a few things, I'll fill you in when I get back. Can I talk to the pup?" Harry asked hopefully, smiling.

"Yeah, sure, two seconds." Harry heard the muffled sounds of Remus calling for Luke, and grinned as his son's voice came down the phone.

"Hi, Dad!" he chirped brightly. "Is Papa okay?"

"Your papa's just fine, pup. He'll have to take it easy for a little while, but he's fine. Have you had a good day with Uncle Moony?" Harry asked, leaning against the wall as he listened to his son babble on about everything he'd done that day. "Sounds like you've been busy, then," he mused with a grin.

"When will you be home?" Luke asked, and Harry sighed.

"Tomorrow night, love. I'll be home in time to put you to bed, alright? I promise." As much as he'd like to stay with Tony, he had to get back to his son.

"Okay. Can I talk to Papa?" Harry grinned to himself, nudging Tony's door back open, popcorn and soda bundled under one arm. Tony and Pepper had moved to a more comfortable position, with Pepper hugging a pillow and leaning on Tony's leg.

"I'll pass you over, kid," he said into the phone, and Tony raised an eyebrow as Harry held the device out to him. "There's someone who wants to talk to you." Tony took the phone, smiling.

"Hey, kiddo, how you doing?" Harry set the snacks aside and clambered back onto the bed, taking his place back at Tony's side. "I'm fine, I promise. Your dad and Pepper are taking good care of me, don't you worry. We've been talking about you coming out to visit; would you like that?" Harry grinned as Tony's face softened to an expression he only got when around Lucas; an expression most people would probably swear blind Tony Stark wasn't capable of. "You'll have to bug your dad about it when he gets home. Now, if I'm right, which I always am, little boys like you should be in bed around this time of night." Harry could hear his son's whine, and laughed softly. "No, no, you need to get your sleep if you wanna be a superhero when you grow up. C'mon, buddy, go ask Uncle Remus to read you a bedtime story, and I'll see you soon, okay? Love you too, kiddo." Tony passed the phone back to Harry, kissing the Brit on the jaw.

"I'll see you tomorrow, love," Harry told his son, wishing he could kiss him goodnight. "Sleep tight, I love you."

"Love you too, Dad. See you tomorrow." Luke hung up the phone, and Harry leaned into Tony, sighing.

"God, you two are sickening," Pepper remarked, and Harry raised an eyebrow. "It's going to be even worse when you're all actually living together. You're so adorable, it's painful to watch." Harry glanced at Tony, grinning. "See! Ugh, just stop making eyes at each other and put the movie on."

"Aww, we still love you too, Pepper. Don't be mad because I have a kid and a gorgeous boyfriend who makes me pancakes," Tony soothed, petting her hair with a smirk.

"Hey, he made me pancakes too, I'm not mad about that," Pepper retorted, causing Tony to raise an eyebrow at his lover.

"You made Pepper pancakes? We are definitely keeping you." Harry laughed, tilting his head up for a kiss.

"Glad that's been decided. Come on, put a movie on."


	25. Chapter 25

Harry was reluctant to leave the next day, spending the entire morning in bed with Tony, but by noon he knew he had to leave; it would be eight at night back in England, and he'd promised he'd be home in time to put Luke to bed. "I'll see you soon," he murmured, face buried in Tony's neck. "You'll be back on your feet in a week or so, and I'll bring Luke out for a week, see how he likes it here. And, of course, show him the shop." He knew his son would go absolutely crazy over all the old Iron Man suits lined up on the walls. "Take care of yourself, okay? Listen to Pepper, and don't go back to fighting crime before you're healed up, okay?" Tony huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, Mom," he droned, and Harry swatted him. "I'll be good, I promise. I plan to be in full fitness by the time you come back next week; we have a lot of catching up to do." Tony winked, reaching to grab Harry's ass, making the Brit snicker.

"Then I look forward to it." He pulled away, pressing his lips to Tony's languidly, trying to draw the kiss out for as long as he could. "I love you," he said once they parted, watching Tony smile.

"I love you, too. Give Lucas a kiss from me," Tony urged, reluctantly letting Harry go. Harry stood from the bed, shouldering his bag.

"I will. See you in a week." With one last look, Harry left the bedroom, smiling at Pepper who was waiting in the living room. "Look after him, will you?" he requested, pulling the woman into a tight hug. She laughed, kissing his cheek.

"Of course; it's my job," she replied, though she was smiling. "When will you be back next?"

"In a week, if Tony heals up properly. We thought it'd be good to bring Luke over for a week, see how he takes to Malibu," he explained, releasing her.

"I look forward to it. I'll see you in a week, then." Harry stepped back, offering a grin.

"See you soon, Pep." Taking a deep breath, Harry turned on his heel, apparating away. He reappeared in the living room of Grimmauld Place, and was almost immediately jumped on by a small boy. "Hello, you," he greeted, kissing his son's hair and hugging him close.

"Missed you, Dad. Is Papa all better now?" Luke asked, making Harry smile.

"Just about, yeah. He sends his love, and this is from him." Harry pressed a firm kiss to Luke's forehead, and the boy grinned. "We were thinking; how would you like to go over to Malibu for a week next week? Stay with Papa, have some fun on the beach?" Harry suggested, smiling when Luke's face lit up and he nodded furiously.

"Yeah! Can we, please?" Harry chuckled, ruffling Luke's hair.

"We can, yes. I'll let Tony know we'll be over. Where's Moony?" he asked, and Luke pointed to the kitchen. "Ah, fair enough. Now, I think it's about time you went to bed, don't you?" Luke pouted, shaking his head, and Harry laughed. "Come on, bratling." Luke still balanced on his hip, Harry carried him upstairs, tossing him lightly onto the bed. He was already in his pyjamas, and Harry assumed that Remus had made him brush his teeth, too. Picking up the book on the bedside table, Harry settled in beside his son, beginning to read.

Luke was fast asleep by the time he was halfway through the second chapter, and Harry marked his page, smiling. Pressing a soft kiss to the boy's forehead, he carefully shuffled off the bed, tucking Luke in and leaving the room. Remus was still in the kitchen, and Harry greeted him with a tight hug. "Hello, cub," the older man murmured, kissing his cheek. "The little one all settled?" Harry nodded, accepting the mug of tea offered to him.

"Yeah, out like a light. He wasn't any trouble, I assume?" Remus chuckled, shaking his head.

"None at all. Everything alright with Tony?" he asked, and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, fine, he'll be back on his feet in a week." Harry remembered that he'd promised Remus he'd tell him about the talk he and Tony had had, and swallowed nervously. "We, uh, had a little chat about living arrangements. Both of us agreed that living apart really isn't going to work out." Remus nodded, clearly having come to the same conclusion. "We're going to move over to Malibu, but we'll take it slowly. Start out with one week a month at Tony's, then two, then three, and then finalise the move. And we'll be back to visit all the time; I want Luke to still be close with his Weasley cousins. Stark Tower in New York will be done in early November, so I suppose we'll move out there when it is. You should see what Tony's got planned for it, Rem, it's incredible!"

"Sounds like a sensible plan," Remus said approvingly, reaching over to squeeze Harry's shoulder. "I'll miss you when you're in America, y'know." Harry frowned, shuffling to sit beside his godfather, bumping their shoulders together.

"You could always come with us. Tony wouldn't mind; more free babysitters, as far as he's concerned," he remarked with a snort, and Remus chuckled.

"No, no; I'm set up here, it'd be far too much hassle to move. Besides, it's your life; I have to let you make your own way sooner or later. I'll come visit you plenty, but I'm sure I'll be just fine here in Grimmauld," he assured. Harry smirked, eyeing him playfully.

"Maybe with Luke and me out of the way you'll feel more inclined to start looking for company to bring home," he teased, earning a shove to the shoulder as Remus went bright red.

"I'm too old to start dating again, Harry; that ship has sailed for me." Harry rolled his eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"Remus, you're forty-two; that is nowhere near too old to start dating again. I worry about you, you know I do. I'd just feel a bit better if I knew you had someone," he reasoned. Remus sighed, leaning his head on Harry's shoulder.

"I'll think about it, love," he relented. "But you know it's different for me. I have to find someone who's willing to put up with… both sides of me." Harry kissed Remus' sandy hair, smiling softly.

"You'll find them," he encouraged. "But you have to start looking first." Remus hummed thoughtfully, then pulled away, offering a smile.

"Come on, bed, for both of us. You need to get used to the time zones again." Harry groaned; he was nowhere near tired.

"Fuck, why did I think dating a guy with an eight-hour time difference was a good idea?" Remus laughed, nudging Harry out of his chair.

"When you move to New York, it'll only be five," he pointed out supportively. Harry snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"When I move to New York, I'll be living there permanently and won't care about the time difference."

.-.-.-.

Harry and Luke apparated into Tony's living room on Monday morning, and Pepper was waiting for them; it was best if Harry didn't apparate in the same room as Tony, just in case. The research into merging magic and technology was, apparently, going well, but Hermione insisted she still had a lot of work to do. Judging by how the lights flickered on his entry, their caution was well-warranted.

Harry bundled Pepper in a hug, and his son's shout of glee betrayed Tony's entrance. "Hey, little man," Tony greeted, grinning as Luke jumped into his arms. "Hello, gorgeous," he added as he drew closer to Harry, leaning in for a kiss.

"Hey, love. How are you?" he asked, hugging Luke between them as he wrapped an arm around Tony's waist.

"All healed up and back out in the Iron Man," Tony assured him, smirking. Harry grinned back, a glint of excitement in his eyes. That night they'd have a lot of time to make up for. "How about a tour of the house?" Luke nodded excitedly, and Harry grinned.

"I have to go talk to the Stark Tower contractors," Pepper declared. "So I guess I'll see you guys at lunch."

"You're awesome, Pepper. And don't forget to tell them about the changes I made," Tony added, making Pepper roll her eyes.

"Considering that's half the reason I'm meeting them, I won't. Don't worry, Tony, I've got it covered. You have fun showing your new toys off," she teased. Harry raised an eyebrow; Tony had new toys? The billionaire's hand slipped into his, and he set Luke on the floor, grinning.

"Come on, I'll show you around," he urged, dragging Harry off in the direction of the stairs.

"Tony, I've been here plenty, I know my way around," he pointed out, watching Tony's smirk widen.

"Uh, uh, uh, you don't know the new parts. I had a few things re-modelled recently; it was due an overhaul." Harry smiled in fond exasperation, allowing Tony to tug him downstairs. "We'll start at the bottom and work our way up." Harry obligingly followed Tony right down to the workshop, grinning when Luke's jaw dropped at seeing all the Iron Man suits.

"So cool!" he breathed, making Tony smirk proudly.

"Luke, buddy, I don't want you in this room without me, okay? There's a lot of dangerous stuff in here, and I don't want you getting hurt. JARVIS won't let you in when I'm not around, not even if your Dad's with you, so stay upstairs unless you're with me, yeah?" Tony told his son, who nodded obediently.

"Who's JARVIS?" he queried, making Tony's step falter.

"Of course! I haven't introduced you. JARVIS, be polite, say hello."

"Hello, young Master Lucas," JARVIS replied, and Luke jumped in surprise, looking around.

"JARVIS is a really smart computer that runs pretty much everything in the house. If you need anything, or have any questions, just ask JARVIS and he'll answer," Tony explained, one hand on Luke's shoulder.

"Hi, JARVIS," Luke greeted somewhat nervously, still looking around, unsure where to address. "Papa, can I see the Iron Man?" Harry laughed, and Tony smirked, taking Luke's hand as he pushed the workshop door aside. He hung back as Tony showed Luke each version of the suit, explaining in fairly simple terms how it worked.

"Come here, kid; I want you to meet someone very special to me," Tony called, and Luke immediately darted across the lab to stand at his side. Harry grinned when Dummy cautiously wheeled out from behind Tony's workbench, whirring curiously. "This is Dummy. Dummy, this is Luke; he's only small, so we have to play gently, okay?" It was a testament to how enraptured Luke was that he didn't protest to being called 'small'. He stepped closer to the robot, who lowered his 'head' to peer inquisitively at Luke's face through his camera.

"What is he?" Luke asked, voice barely louder than a whisper. Tony smiled, resting a hand on Luke's shoulder as he watched his brain-child and his love-child stare at each other.

"He's a robot; an Artificial Intelligence. He's got one heck of a personality on him, and he likes to learn a lot even though he's not very good at it. I built him when I was seventeen, and he's stuck with me ever since," Tony explained affectionately. Harry strode over, gently patting the bot's structure. He was almost as fond as Tony was of the cheeky little machine.

"Wow," Luke breathed, reaching out tentatively. Dummy jolted, making the boy jump, then gently pressed his claw-like hand against Luke's in a high five, making the boy giggle and grin widely. "He high fived me!" he exclaimed, and Harry grinned.

"I think he likes you, pup. Maybe you can teach him to play catch with you or something. But he stays in the lab, okay?" he added, and Luke nodded obediently.

"That's my boy," Tony murmured, ruffling Luke's hair. "Go on, Dummy, go back to tidying or whatever you were doing. We'll be back down to play with you later." Dummy whirred excitedly and rolled off towards the workbench, Luke's eyes fixed on him as he went. "There are a couple more robots around here; Butterfingers and You, and I'll introduce them to you later. But Dummy's the first one I ever built that worked. He's kinda stupid, but he grows on you," Tony explained, making Luke giggle.

"Cool. Can I build a robot?" he asked hopefully. Harry chuckled, sharing an amused look with his lover.

"Absolutely. But maybe in a few years; have to start out small, learn the basics, y'know?" Luke looked a little put-out at Tony's words, but then brightened up at the prospect of learning how to build things that would eventually become as complex — and even more so — as Tony's bots.

Tony directed Luke and Harry through a side-door that Harry definitely didn't recognise from his last visit. "This, kiddo, is our workshop. Still don't go in without me, but this one has a lot less dangerous things in here. It's for you and me to work in together; you're a Stark, kid, and this is your legacy. You've got five years to catch up on." Luke's eyes were round, and Tony grinned. "Go on; go have a look around." Luke didn't need telling twice, immediately running over to the work bench, which was set up with a simple deconstructed engine for him to look at. Harry sidled closer to Tony, one eyebrow raised, and the older man smiled sheepishly. "When I was his age, I used to spend most of my time working in the shop while my dad was in there. Sometimes with him, sometimes on my own stuff. But there are a lot of things in the main workshop I don't want him near, so… I figured this would be the best option. There's going to be one in Stark Tower, too."

"You're already an amazing father," he murmured, kissing Tony's cheek. "And our kid is gonna be a freaking genius before he's ten by the looks of things." Tony grinned, leaning in for a proper kiss.

"That's the plan. Luke, buddy, come on!" he called, getting the boy's attention. "You can come back down here later on, but I gotta show you the rest of the house." Luke nodded, rushing back to their sides, and the three of them went back upstairs. Tony gave Luke a brief explanation of the equipment in the living room and kitchen — that basically surmounted to 'if we're not here to work it for you, just tell JARVIS what you want and he'll make it happen' — and showed him the master bedroom so that he knew where to find them in the night if he needed to. Harry was surprised when Tony showed them the spare room briefly, which looked exactly the same, and told Luke that it was where Pepper slept when she wanted to stay the night. He'd been assuming that they were putting Luke in there; all the other guest rooms were halfway across the house. "And this, little man, is your room." Harry's eyebrows shot up as Tony pushed open the door that had previously been his private office. The room was decorated similarly to Luke's room at home — in red and gold — with a large bed, a shelf full of books, and a large toybox pushed up against the wall beside the wardrobe. He had plenty of floorspace to play in, and Harry wasn't surprised to see the set-up for a holo-screen along one wall.

"What happened to your office?" he asked quietly as Luke immediately raced to bounce on the bed, messing up the neatly made Iron Man sheets.

"I wasn't using it. His room in the tower will be better, but… this is a good halfway point," Tony reasoned, walking over to turn on the screen.

"Good? It's bloody brilliant! Where did all those toys come from?" he asked, seeing Luke had opened the toybox. Tony flashed him a quick grin, winking.

"Made most of them. Pepper bought some, I bought some. But those Iron Man figures he has are totally not accurate; I needed to fix that," he said, as if having an inaccurate Iron Man toy was blasphemous. Harry laughed, shaking his head in amusement, leaning in the doorway as Tony demonstrated how to work the holo-screen.

"Dad, look! This is so cool! I can draw on my wall and then I press the button and it's all gone!" Luke gushed excitedly, pointing at the holo-screen.

"Yeah, that's awesome, huh?" Harry agreed, smiling. "Do you wanna see the rest of the house, or stay here and play for a bit? We can go to the beach after lunch." Luke bit his lip, thinking it over, then ran back to the screen.

"Stay here and play," he decided. Tony grinned, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Just ask JARVIS if you need anything, kiddo; we'll be in the living room." Luke nodded, concentrating on drawing on his screen, and Tony and Harry left him to it.

"So when did you do all that, then? That was definitely an office last time I saw it, and it must have taken a while to split the shop up downstairs." Tony shrugged, scratching at his cheek.

"I had a lot of free time over the past couple of weeks. I just want him to feel at home, y'know?" Harry grinned, pulling Tony into a kiss and winding an arm around the taller man's back.

"Well, I think you succeeded; he loves it. Merlin, I figured you'd do a room for him, but… I never expected anything like this." Tony's hand slid into the back pocket of Harry's jeans, tugging him closer.

"I have to make my case as convincing as possible, don't I?" he reasoned, nipping at Harry's lower lip.

"Well, consider me convinced." Harry hadn't realised just how serious Tony was about them moving in with him, and he was surprised and touched to see the effort he'd gone to. "Now, why don't we go unpack my things? I reckon we've got about half an hour before Luke gets hungry and comes looking for us." He smirked, and Tony mirrored it, already moving towards the bedroom. Harry grabbed his bag on the way, not breaking the embrace.

"There's a lot we can do in half an hour, gorgeous."


	26. Chapter 26

After a quick lunch made by Harry, they couldn't avoid Luke's determination to go to the beach any longer. Changing into swim shorts and tank tops, the two men gathered supplies to keep the boy sunburn-free and entertained, and went downstairs to find Happy waiting for them. Luke had his face pressed to the window as they drove out towards the beach, while Harry was much more interested in staring at Tony in his shorts and thin vest. He secretly loved it when the Arc Reactor was visible through Tony's shirts; there was something hot about it, he wasn't sure what. It did mean that it would make it even more obvious who Tony was, but they weren't planning on hiding, so he wasn't too bothered by it.

Happy parked them near the beach, and Harry took Lucas' hand as they got out, not wanting him to run off. "Whoa," Luke breathed, eyes wide as he stared at the ocean. "It's so big!" Harry grinned, sharing a look with Tony. The first of many 'firsts' the older man would be able to be part of; Luke's first trip to the beach.

"Come on, kiddo, let's go find a good spot," Tony urged, hauling their bag over his shoulder. He gave a discreet nod to Happy, which was returned, and Harry assumed the bodyguard would be staying in the area. Letting Luke tug on his hand, he followed Tony to an emptier stretch of beach, grinning when the American dumped their stuff down in a suitable spot. He stretched their towels out, and Harry reached for the sunscreen.

"Hold still, pup," he urged, smearing the cream over his son's arms and back. Luke only fidgeted a little bit, but was practically running on the spot by the time Harry was finished.

"Can I go play in the sea now, Dad, please?" he begged, dragging out the last word with a hopeful look on his face. Harry chuckled, glancing at Tony.

"Hang on a sec, kiddo. Your dad isn't getting away that easily." Tony manhandled the susncreen out of Harry's grip, squeezing some on his own hands. Harry sighed, but stripped off his shirt and allowed Tony to do his back, getting his limbs, torso and face himself. He reluctantly pulled away when Tony's sunscreen application became more of a massage, grinning at his son.

"Alright, let's go. Coming, Tony?" The older man shot him a look.

"Of course." They both had to jog to keep up with Luke as he ran towards the shallow waves, laughing brightly as he splashed around.

"Stay close, pup!" Harry called, watching him walk a little too far out. Luke's swimming wasn't exactly brilliant. He waded out to where his son was stood, the water still only coming up to his knees, and splashed him playfully. Luke spluttered, splashing back, and Harry jumped out of the way quickly. When he splashed back, he accidentally caught Tony, who blinked.

"Oh, this means war," he declared, a smirk on his face. He was still wearing his tank top — he didn't like going shirtless in public because of the Reactor — but didn't seem to mind as it got soaked in several places.

"You're on," Harry challenged, reaching out to splash Tony. Luke stood and giggled as the two splashed each other, before Tony finally lunged forward, tackling Harry down into the water. Harry coughed and spluttered on his way back up, Tony's arms around his waist and the man's knees on either side of him as he sat. "That was mean!" he pouted, and Tony grinned, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss before anyone could see.

"No one ever said I had to play fair, gorgeous," he retorted smugly. Harry laughed when Luke jumped on Tony's back, knocking him to the ground.

"That's my boy!" he praised, high-fiving his son as Tony shook his wet hair out of his eyes. He gave Luke a mock-wounded look.

"Ganging up on me, are you? That hurts, kiddo," he said, making Luke giggle.

"Dad, will you help me swim out a little?" he questioned, and Harry nodded.

"Sure, kid." Keeping a steadying hand under his son's stomach, Harry walked forward until Luke was able to swim a little, doggy-paddling in the shallow waters, giggling every time a wave lapped at his face. Glancing up, Harry frowned when he spotted several people taking pictures from afar.

"Ignore them, bright eyes," Tony murmured, wading up on Luke's other side. Harry offered a half-smile, concentrating back on Luke. When the boy got tired of swimming, they went back up to their spot on the sand, Luke throwing himself down on a towel. A few of the photographers were still there, but most had given up once it was clear there was nothing scandalous going on. Harry and Tony weren't acting obviously couple-y, and he doubted the media would print anything if it wasn't a huge shocker. Tony Stark hanging out with a guy and his kid wasn't groundbreaking enough to make news.

Unsurprisingly, Tony took charge of the sandcastle-building, declaring that they were going to have the best damn sandcastle on the beach. Luke was happy to take orders, digging up sand and fetching water when needed, and Harry found himself getting roped into it as well. Tony being Tony Stark, he didn't do anything by halves; their sandcastle was somewhat of a masterpiece. "Tony, does it really need those tiny spindly tower-bits?" Harry asked, watching Luke struggle with the delicate spires. Tony looked up, nodding seriously.

"Yes. Yes it does. You've got to use a little more water, kiddo; it'll stick if you keep trying." Tony reached out to cover Luke's small hands, helping him smooth out the spires. Harry amused himself by digging the moat a little deeper, wondering if Tony would notice if he encircled him with it. Finally, Tony declared the project finished, offering Luke a fist-bump. "Good teamwork. Harry, grab my phone out of the bag, would you?" Harry reached over to the bag, digging Tony's phone out, and Tony fiddled with it for a few moments, standing up. "Stand next to it, kiddo, I'll take a picture." Luke grinned, standing beside his masterpiece so Tony could snap a quick photo, and then the American smiled, tossing his phone back in the bag. Harry shivered a little and pulled his shirt back on; the sun was starting to go down, and it was getting a little cool out. "You cold, green eyes?" Tony asked in concern, and Harry shook his head, smiling.

"Nah, I'm fine. It's just cooling off a bit." Tony didn't look convinced, but nodded, bundling Luke into his lap.

"You tired yet?" he asked, and Luke shook his head stubbornly.

"Nuh-uh!" he insisted, making Tony grin.

"You sure? You look a little tired to me. I think I saw you yawn a minute ago."

"Not tired!" Luke told his father. "Wanna stay and play more."

"Oh you do, do you? Well, you're the boss. Wanna play catch?" Luke nodded, scrambling to his feet. Harry dug through their bag for the beach ball they'd brought with them, tossing it to Tony and getting to his feet. They spread out a little, and Harry was tempted to move them a little further right and 'accidentally' hit the nosy photographer in the face with the ball. He was the only one who, instead of leaving, had come closer. Most people seemed to be scared of Tony enough not to actively get his attention. Passing the ball between them, smiling every time Luke fumbled and dropped it, they kept playing until Luke finally declared that he was tired and wanted to go home.

"Come on, bratling," Harry urged, tossing his son over his shoulder as Tony packed up their things. They forewent shoes, as their feet were covered in sand, and walked up to where Happy was waiting for them. Harry set Luke down, and the boy hesitated at the open car door.

"I don't want to get it dirty," he murmured, staring at the pristine cream leather, and Happy chuckled.

"It's had worse thing than sand in it, kid, I can assure you. Don't worry about it, hop in," the driver urged. Luke glanced at his father to check, and finally relented at the encouraging nod, clambering into the car. Harry and Tony got in, and Harry sighed, leaning his head on Tony's shoulder.

"I don't know about you, Luke, but I'm definitely worn out," he declared, making Tony snicker as he stroked his arm lightly.

"JARVIS, order in dinner tonight, would you? Pizza sounds good, don't you think?" Luke cheered in approval, and Harry gave an indulgent smile, nodding.

"Yes, sir," JARVIS said quietly from Tony's phone. Harry found himself dozing off a little, and jerked awake when they pulled up in Tony's drive.

"You wanna go start a bath running, love?" Harry prompted his son once they were inside. "I'm sure if you ask JARVIS how to do the taps, he'll tell you. Give me five minutes to shower, I'll be in in a second." Luke nodded determinedly, hurrying off to his room, and Tony pouted.

"Five minutes? That's disappointingly short," he remarked, squeezing Harry's ass playfully as he walked past.

"We'll have all the time in the world once Luke's gone to bed," Harry pointed out, trailing fingers down Tony's chest. Tony groaned softly, glaring when Harry smirked.

"JARVIS will keep an eye on the water levels in Luke's bath. I bet I can get you off in five minutes," Tony told him smugly. Harry's eyes darkened in lust, and he fisted Tony's shirt, pulling him towards the bedroom. He smirked as Tony dropped his shorts as soon as they reached the bathroom, the shower turning on with a word of command. Pulling his lover's vest over his head, Harry kissed the salty skin of Tony's chest, gasping when Tony's hand slid under the waistband of his swim shorts. The billionaire wasted no time in getting Harry naked, shoving him under the shower spray. Harry moaned, both at the hot water and Tony's hand on his cock, happily letting Tony push him against the tiled wall.

"Fuck, Tony, more," he breathed, water running down his face and chest as Tony met him in a messy kiss, tongues tangling and Tony's thigh pressing hard against him. He bucked into the touch furiously, blunt nails scratching at Tony's shoulders in an effort to grip on to keep his balance while Tony used every trick he knew to make him see stars as quickly as possible. It wasn't long before Harry arched up, coming hard, Tony's arm around him the only thing keeping him upright. "Tony!" he cried out, tugging at Tony's hair in the way he knew the older man secretly loved, smirking when he felt his lover come undone right alongside him.

"JARVIS, time," Tony panted, pulling back to kiss Harry once he'd regained his sense a little. Harry snorted; clearly some things didn't change.

"Three minutes, forty nine seconds, sir." Tony let out a triumphant noise, smirking proudly, and Harry went red; still, Tony had come a few seconds after him, so the smugness went both ways.

They washed each other quickly, getting the sand and sea-salt residue off, and Harry re-dressed in comfortable jeans and a well-worn Gryffindor t-shirt, heading through to Luke's room. The boy's bath was full, but he hadn't yet got in, and Harry gave him a smile. "Alright, pup, in you get. Pizza will be here soon, and we want you all clean." Luke grinned, stripping off his swim trunks and t-shirt and jumping into the large bath with a grin. Harry was just there to supervise for the most part, though he did help Luke wash his hair, and he looked up when he heard a throat clear, seeing Tony leaning in the doorway.

"Pizza's here, when you're ready," he informed them, arms folded over his chest. "Pepper's here too."

"Oh? When did she get here?" Harry asked, absently sailing a neon green rubber duck away from the 'attack' of Luke's submarine.

"About half an hour ago, apparently. She was out on the deck when we got in," Tony explained. "I asked her to join us for dinner, but apparently she's just getting some paperwork put through and then she's out for the night. A date, she tells me," he added with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Ooh, a date? How exciting," Harry murmured, grinning. "Is he hot?"

"I don't know, she won't tell me anything about him. She seems to think I'd do a background check, but really, that doesn't sound like me at all." Harry snorted at Tony's words, nodding mock-seriously.

"Yeah, I don't know where she'd get that idea from," he agreed. "Come on, pup, dinner now." Tony passed him a towel as the boy stood up in the water, climbing over the rim of the bath. He wrapped it around the black-haired boy, and Luke grabbed the ends, dashing through to his bedroom to retrieve his pyjamas. Harry didn't bother attempting to dry his son's hair, following Tony through to the kitchen, where two boxes of pizza sat on the counter and Pepper was perched on the edge of the table. "Wow, Pepper, looking great," he complimented, giving a playful wolf-whistle as he saw her. She was in a slinky low-cut emerald dress, her heels impossibly high and her hair falling in soft ringlets around her face. Her make-up was flawless, and she looked ready to walk the red carpet, let alone go on a date.

"Thanks, Harry. You guys have fun at the beach?" she asked. Harry grinned, nodding.

"Yeah, loads of fun. Expect a few photos online at least, though, if not in magazines. Tony's presence didn't go unnoticed." Pepper frowned slightly, nodding.

"JARVIS will flag anything that needs my attention; he has a constant tracker on Tony's name on internet searches." She checked the clock on the microwave and got to her feet, fixing her hair in the shiny silver surface of the fridge door. "I'd better head out, I'm meeting him in twenty minutes. I'll see you all tomorrow." Harry grinned at her, winking.

"Have a nice night," he teased, but she merely smirked back.

"Oh, I will. Tony, there's a pile of contracts on your desk for the new Stark Industries staff to work in R&D at the tower, can you please look them over and sign them for tomorrow?" Tony nodded, kissing her on the cheek.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, and if he turns out to be a creep, you've got a taser in your handbag." Pepper laughed, rolling her eyes.

"There's _nothing_ you wouldn't do. And yes, I have a taser. Goodnight, Tony."

"Bye, Pepper!" Luke chirped, making her smile soften. She leaned down to kiss his damp hair on her way out, smiling.

"Bye, sweetie, I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she left, and Tony opened the pizza boxes, humming happily at the smell of hot pizza.

"Shall we take this through to the living room and put the TV on? I'm telling you, you haven't lived until you've watched Cartoon Network in 70 inch HD glory," he said seriously. Luke lit up at that, and Harry laughed, filling three glasses with water.

"Sure, sounds like a plan." They set themselves up on the sofa, pizza on the coffee table and Luke curled up between Harry and Tony, plate on his lap as Harry cut the pizza into more manageable pieces for him. Tony turned on Cartoon Network, stuffing almost an entire slice of pizza in his mouth at once. "Tony, that's disgusting," Harry scolded, and Tony smiled.

"M hungry," he insisted, voice muffled by pizza. Luke giggled, nibbling at a far smaller piece.

Between the three of them the pizza didn't last long, and Luke sprawled out with his head in Harry's lap and his legs draped over Tony's, head turned in the direction of the TV. Harry twined his fingers with Tony's on Luke's knee, smiling when the older man's thumb traced circles on the back of his hand. "I think he's asleep," Harry murmured, glancing down at Luke. The boy's eyes were closed, and his breathing was even.

"Does that mean we have to get up?" Tony whined, and Harry chuckled.

"I can get him," he started, but Tony shook his head.

"No, no, it's cool. Come on, on three." Between them, they managed to get Luke carefully in Harry's arms, still fast asleep. The Brit carried his son through to his bedroom, Tony pulling back the duvet so Harry could gently lower him to the mattress. With a kiss on the forehead from each of them, Tony reached over and tapped a small silver panel on the wall, surprising Harry when a nightlight turned on with a soft yellow glow. They crept out, and Tony ran a hand through his hair. "I'm gonna head down to the shop for a bit; I have to finish some work on a prototype for a meeting on Wednesday," he told Harry, who nodded.

"I'll hang out up here and let you know through JARVIS when I'm going to bed," he replied, far too used to Tony retreating to the shop in the evening to be bothered by it. Tony nodded, leaning in for a kiss.

"I'll only be a couple of hours," he promised. "The shower was hot, but I definitely need more private time with you after seeing you in those wet swim shorts." Harry's skin tingled at the desire obvious in Tony's tone, and he kissed him slowly a second time.

"I'll see you in a couple of hours, then," he said with a coy smile. Tony smirked, slapping him on the ass before walking away, heading for the workshop. Harry wandered back into the living room, flicking through the DVDs on the shelves contemplatively. He frowned when he saw Tony's tablet on the shelf, a green light on the side showing it was still on, though the screen was blank. Tony didn't usually leave it on unless he went away from it in a hurry. Tapping the screen, the device jumped to life, and Harry peered at the browser open. There were a couple of tabs open to physics articles that went way over Harry's head, one with a news article about Stark Industries, and several about… schools? Frown deepening, Harry flicked through the tabs, surprise growing. Not only were there the websites of several schools in the area, right from kindergarten to college-level, there were several for schools in New York, as well as the contact details of what appeared to be tutors in various subjects. Switching windows, Harry's eyebrows rose even higher as he read through a detailed list of pros and cons of each school, several depending on 'if Luke goes to Hogwarts' or 'if Luke needs to skip grades'.

Picking up the tablet, he headed down to the workshop, cutting the music as he entered. Tony looked up at the abrupt silence, smiling when he saw Harry. "Hey, gorgeous; what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Harry held up the tablet, and Tony's eyes widened.

"You've been looking at schools?" he asked curiously, and Tony shrugged.

"Luke's five now, he should be starting school in August. I mean, I know you said most wizards don't send their kids to school before eleven, but… he's a really smart kid, and he needs to be challenged from a young age to nurture that. I don't want to seem like I'm making decisions without you; I was just getting information together to put my case forward about why you guys should just move in with me, and that includes getting Luke settled during the summer so he can start school. I figured 'because I miss you when you're not here' wasn't enough of a reason," he explained, sounding strangely vulnerable.

"It's enough of a reason for me," Harry replied, smiling as he moved closer. "It all depends on Luke, of course, but… God, Tony, I can't imagine seeing you for only one week a month. It's probably selfish, but I don't care, I just… I've waited six years to live with you. I don't want to wait any longer." He glanced down at the tablet, looking at the list of schools. "You've done _so much_ for Luke here, with the room and the workshop and the schools… I'm sold. We'll talk it over with the pup, and if he agrees, we'll move straight in." Tony stood, wide-eyed, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Are you serious? I don't have to beg? I was prepared to beg, and grovel, and buy you things." Harry laughed, tugging him closer by the collar of his t-shirt, winding an arm around his waist.

"You don't have to beg, or grovel, or buy me things. I love you, Tony. I want to live with you. Not in six months, when the tower's ready; today. Right now." He pressed their foreheads together, smiling excitedly. Tony mirrored his look, bringing their lips together furiously.

"You know the press will have a field day when they find out about you and Luke," he murmured, and Harry snorted.

"After everything the wizarding press have said about me over the years, you really think I care?" he retorted, hand trailing down Tony's chest. "Have you still got a bed down here?" he asked, Tony smirking as soon as he caught on.

"Of course. It's a new one, too; I think it deserves christening." Harry grinned impishly, fiddling with the button on Tony's jeans.

"Oh, definitely." He allowed Tony to direct him to the cot bed, the older man stepping out of his jeans as they walked, revealing his lack of underwear underneath. They broke their embrace long enough to pull Harry's t-shirt off, and Harry's breath was forced from his lungs as he fell back on the comfortable mattress of the single cot, Tony landing on top of him, straddling him. He rocked down into Harry, sucking and biting down his chest. "You've got lube and condoms down here, right?" Harry breathed, tugging Tony's shirt over his head, the blue glow of the Arc Reactor flooding their darkened little corner of the workshop.

"Uhuh," Tony confirmed, flattening himself against Harry to reach under the cot, coming back up with a bottle of lube and a string of condoms. He set them within reach, yanking Harry's jeans down forcefully, a whine sounding in the back of his throat when he was faced with red and gold silk boxers. "Oh, bright eyes, you know I love it when you wear my colours," he murmured, leaning down to mouth Harry's cock through the already damp fabric. Harry hummed in pleasure, Tony's hands on his hips stopping him from bucking into the heat. Tony pulled the younger man's boxers down with his teeth, taking Harry fully in his mouth without hesitation. Harry cried out, head throwing back, fingers gripping the sheets underneath him as his brain went fuzzy with pleasure.

"Tony, please," he gasped. "Want to come when you're in me." He could see how much his words turned Tony on, the American's pupils blown wide, and Tony sat up again, reaching for the lube. He slicked up his fingers, and Harry took advantage of his distraction to flip them both over on the narrow mattress, straddling Tony's hips, pressing against his hardened length. "Gonna ride you," he murmured, threading his fingers through Tony's hair and leaning forward to bring their lips together, Tony's lube-slicked finger circling his hole.

"God, yes," Tony groaned, Harry accepting the intrusion easily. They didn't take much time preparing, and Harry carefully lowered himself onto Tony's cock, mouth opening in a silent gasp as pleasure rocked through him. He set a teasingly slow rhythm, smirking when Tony shifted his hips impatiently.

"Oh, no. I'm running this show," he insisted, slowing down even more. Tony whined desperately, hands grasping frantically at air.

"Harry, please, gorgeous, I can't take it," he babbled, and Harry revelled in the feeling of being one of the few people in the world to actually make Tony Stark _beg_. He smirked to himself, one hand on Tony's stomach for balance, and suddenly picked up the pace, fucking himself on Tony and twisting to get the perfect angle. "Yes, please, faster," Tony murmured, Harry tugging on his hair and riding his cock driving him into sensory overload. They both groaned aloud when Harry practically bent himself in half in order to kiss Tony, and that undid them near-simultaneously, Harry shouting into Tony's mouth as he came, feeling Tony tense as he followed him into oblivion.

After several moments of trying to catch his breath, Harry rose off Tony and practically collapsed on top of the man, tucking close into his side to avoid falling off the side of the bed. Tony rolled the condom off and tied it, tossing it into the trash with a smirk, pressing a kiss to Harry's sweaty forehead. "I swear, the sex only gets better with you," he declared, and Harry smirked.

"Then imagine how hot it'll be when I'm fifty," he replied sweetly. Tony's blissed-out expression returned at the prospect.

"If we carry on like this, I'll have died of orgasm before then," he insisted, legs tangling with Harry's. Their stomachs were sticky with semen, and Harry was starting to get drowsy, but he was far too comfortable to move.

"You'd better not; I want plenty more years out of you," he ordered, snickering when Tony raised an arm in a lazy salute.

"Yes, sir." Harry turned slightly, smiling in satisfaction at the dark red love bite high on Tony's neck; that wouldn't be covered by his shirt collar. "Wanna get cleaned up and continue this upstairs?" Tony offered, reaching under the cot for a cloth to wipe them off with. Harry smirked, instantly feeling a surge of energy.

"Sounds like a fantastic plan."

.-.-.

The rest of the week in Malibu was surprisingly… normal. Tony juggling work with spending time with them, Harry taking Luke out to explore the area on occasion, finding a park in which he could make friends with other kids. The boy still wanted to spend most of his time at the beach, the novelty apparently having not worn off yet. Pepper joined them when she could, and went on another date with the mystery man — Tony still hadn't gotten enough information to check him out yet — but in all, it was quite a chilled week. It was what Harry assumed things would be like when they all lived together properly. They hadn't talked things over with Luke yet; that was why Harry and Tony found themselves lingering outside Luke's closed bedroom door, gathering the courage to knock. "Go on," Tony urged, nudging Harry forward. "He'll take it better coming from you." Harry sighed, squaring his shoulders, and knocked on the door. They waited a few moments, hearing a thump and muffled footsteps, before the door swung open and Luke grinned happily at them.

"Hi!" he greeted, stepping back to let them enter. "I'm drawing." Looking over at the holo-screen wall, they could see a very messy red-and-gold figure that was vaguely recognisable as Iron Man. He seemed to be fighting Doom with Captain America, Wolverine, and a smaller figure with scruffy black hair that could only be Luke himself.

"Looks great, kiddo. Mind if we talk to you for a sec?" Tony asked, ruffling the boy's hair. Luke frowned in confusion, but shrugged, jumping up onto his bed.

"How are you liking Malibu?" Harry asked lightly, dragging the chair that Luke had been standing on to draw over to sit beside the bed.

"It's awesome!" Luke enthused, grinning widely. "Thank you for my room, Papa, it's so cool!" Tony smiled, inclining his head briefly.

"You're welcome, kid. So, uh, think you could handle living here for a little longer than a week?" Luke cocked his head, confused, and Harry offered him a gentle smile.

"I know we said we'd take this slow, pup, but… we both think it would be best to move over sooner than planned. You can start at muggle school in August if you want to; we think you'll enjoy it," he encouraged.

"But what about Uncle Remus, and the Weasleys and everyone?" Luke questioned, frowning faintly.

"We can go back and visit them whenever you like, love; they're only an apparition away. It's all up to you, though; if you don't want to move yet, we won't," Harry insisted. It would hurt to be away from Tony for so long, but Luke was more important. "And they can come visit us as often as they want, can't they Tony?"

"Sure," Tony agreed easily. "It's not like we don't have the space." While there was only one spare room in the main part of the house, Harry knew of at least three in the upper and lower floors that were rarely used. "There's no pressure, buddy, but… I'd really like to have both of you here with me, be a real family. So what do you think?"

"We get to stay here with Papa all the time?" Luke confirmed, and Harry nodded. The little boy paused, then grinned widely. "Yeah! Papa's house is awesome, and the beach is fun! But only if we can still go home and see everyone sometimes," he added. Tony and Harry both grinned, and Harry shifted to sit on the bed, wrapping an arm around Luke's shoulders.

"Of course we can, pup; once a month, at least. You'll still get to see your cousins and everyone, don't you worry. Are you absolutely sure, though? It's a big move, I want to make sure you've thought about it." Luke frowned, shrugging.

"You're sad when we're at home, and then you're happy again when Papa's around. If we live here, Papa will always be around and then you won't be sad no more," he reasoned diplomatically. Harry blushed — had he really been that obvious? — And Tony grinned, ruffling Luke's hair.

"I'm very, very glad you said that, kiddo. And we're gonna have a lot of fun living together." He slung an arm around Luke's waist, tipping him upside down as he lifted him up, and Luke squealed with laughter, grabbing Tony's legs. Harry snickered as Tony carried Luke around like that for several moments, before dumping him back on the bed, sitting down beside him. "You wanna come help me make a GPS tracker?" he asked, and Luke smiled, nodding eagerly. "Okay, hop on." Luke wrapped his arms around Tony's neck, jumping onto his back. Tony leaned in to kiss Harry on the lips, grinning in a way Harry had seen only a few times before. "See you at lunchtime, gorgeous." He stood, dashing out of the room with Luke on his back, whooping excitedly. Harry watched them go with a bright grin, letting out a happy cry and pumping his fist when he was certain they were out of earshot. He and Luke were officially going to be moving in with Tony. He was moving to Malibu. He couldn't wait to tell Remus.


	27. Chapter 27

Harry stroked Luke's hair as he closed the book, setting it aside and tugging the duvet further up his sleeping son. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at Remus, who was leaning in the doorway. "We can talk now, then?" the werewolf presumed. Harry raised an eyebrow; he'd only been home an hour, and he hadn't mentioned a thing.

"What makes you think we need to talk?" he asked innocently, slipping from the room. Remus snorted, rolling his eyes as he shut Luke's bedroom door.

"Oh, please. I know you, Harry, and I know that look on your face. You've got news, now spill," he urged. Harry sighed, fiddling with the hem of his shirt nervously.

"Luke and I are moving in with Tony a little sooner than planned," he admitted. "We just had such a brilliant week out there, and Luke loves Malibu, and I miss Tony _so much_ when I'm here. We're going to enroll Luke in a muggle school come August, so we want to get him settled over there before we do." Between the three of them they'd decided on a school, and Pepper had gotten the paperwork for them to fill out. It was a private school, with quite a lot of wealthy kids of important people, and Tony and Harry were hoping the security would be high; Luke was at risk in both worlds, considering who his parents were.

"I thought as much," Remus replied, making Harry blink.

"What?" he asked, confused. Remus snorted, smiling fondly at his godson.

"Harry, I hate to tell you, but I've been expecting you to say this for weeks. You're not subtle with the way you look at Tony, or with that mopey expression you get every time he's gone. I never expected you to drag out the move as long as you were planning," he pointed out reasonably, amused as Harry blushed.

"You're not mad, then?" he checked.

"You'll still be coming back to visit regularly, won't you?" the werewolf asked, and Harry nodded. "And I'll be able to come out and see you when I please?" Again, Harry nodded. "Then I've no reason to be mad. I'm happy for you, Harry; you're finally getting what you've wanted for nearly six years." Harry grinned, wrapping his arms tightly around Remus' thin shoulders.

"Love you, Moony," he murmured into the man's cardigan, making him chuckle.

"I love you, too, cub. And I know you'll be happy in America with Tony. Hell, you'd be happy in a cave with Tony," he added dryly. Harry couldn't deny it was true. "But you do know you've got to break the news to the rest of the family, right?" Harry froze, then groaned loudly, burying his face in Remus' neck.

"Kill me now." Remus, the sympathetic bastard, just laughed.

.-.-.

Harry invited everyone over for dinner two days later, giving nothing but a cryptic ''I have an announcement' by way of explanation. Still, come Thursday night, he had the entire Weasley family in his kitchen, plus several others who might as well have been. Luke was loving having the whole family around, and Harry felt a pang at the thought of being several thousand miles away from them all. But, to be fair, he could apparate the distance without too many problems, and there was always Tony's jet. "What's with the big gathering then, mate?" Charlie asked quietly, leaning against the counter while Harry stirred the pasta sauce.

"Wait, you'll find out with everyone else," he replied, and Charlie smirked.

"Wouldn't have anything to do with your Tony now, would it?" Harry's cheeks reddened, and Charlie let out a soft noise of triumph. "There we go. You're not pregnant again, are you?" Harry choked on air, spluttering, wide-eyed.

"No, no, not pregnant again. Maybe in a couple of years, but… not yet." He and Tony hadn't discussed the possibility of more kids since the day Tony had seen the photo album. Harry was too hesitant to bring it up again, in case he'd changed his mind.

Before Charlie could question him further, three kids came running into the kitchen, Luke at the head of the pack. "Dad! Dad! Vicky took my game thing that Papa gave me and she won't give it back!" he insisted, cheeks red in frustration, looking almost near tears. Victoire was stood behind him, the Stark console in her hand, an irritated expression on her face.

"I just wanted a look!" she told Harry, wide blue eyes begging him to believe her. "He was being mean and wasn't sharing it!"

"I said she could have a look when I'd finished my level!" Luke cut in.

"Was Vicky's fault, Uncle Harry, she jus' 'natched it," Alex informed him, his face startlingly like his father's as he tried to get his piece in.

"Vic," Harry started, his tone immediately making the girl's face crumple. "You know you shouldn't snatch things. I'm sure Luke would be happy to share, but you have to be patient and wait for him to finish his level, yeah?"

"He was taking too long," she muttered stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It doesn't matter sweetheart; it was still his turn. Why don't you give it back so he can finish his level, and then you can have a go on it," Harry suggested calmly, wondering if Tony had turned the design over to SI or if he was planning on Luke having the only one. It would be a hit if sold on the general market, though he had to admit, it was probably meant for kids older than Luke was.

"Don't wanna play anymore," Luke mumbled, shaking his head. Victoire smirked triumphantly, and Harry frowned.

"Vicky, apologise to Luke for snatching his game," he urged sternly. "And maybe you can play on it after dinner if he wants to share it with you." She scowled, stamping her foot, but clearly knew better than to argue with him.

"Sorry, Lucas," she bit out, thrusting the game back in his direction. Luke took the console, not looking at his pseudo-cousin, and Victoire stalked off, muttering about going to find Rose to play with. For a child of nearly six, she was incredibly precocious, and not always in a good way. She definitely took after her mother more than her father.

"Is dinner nearly done?" Alex asked Harry, who smiled at the three year-old.

"It is, yeah. Don't suppose you boys could do me a favour and get everyone in for me, could you?" Harry glanced at Charlie, who didn't need prompting, lifting Alex onto his back with a smile. Luke shook his head, winding an arm around Harry's leg.

"Wanna stay with you," he insisted. Harry rested a hand in Luke's hair, smiling at him.

"Sure, pup." Alex and Charlie left, and Harry crouched down to be at his son's eye level. "Is everything alright?" Luke bit his lip, shrugging.

"Heard Aunt Ginny saying mean things about Papa," he admitted quietly. Harry's blood turned to ice, and he tried not to let it show on his face.

"What was she saying, love?"

"That he didn't love you. That he'd get bored of us," Luke told him, voice barely louder than a whisper. Harry sighed, pulling him close.

"Oh, pup," he murmured, kissing his son's head. "Don't listen to Aunt Ginny, okay? She doesn't like Tony, I don't know why, but she's wrong. He loves me, and he loves you very, very much. He'd never get bored of us, okay?" He'd definitely have to have a word with Ginny about her language. She never should have been saying those things at all, let alone where Luke could hear. "Now come on, why don't you help me set the table?" Luke smiled, hugging him briefly, and allowed Harry to lift him onto a chair so he could pass him cutlery from a pile on the table. People started drifting into the room, and Harry set about dishing up, making sure there were enough plates for everyone. He sat himself between Remus and Luke, with Hermione on Luke's other side, wanting to have as many allies close as possible. Dinner was, as usual, a hectic affair; with eight kids, plus all the adults, there were about twenty different conversations at once, and plates of food floating all over the place. But it wasn't until dessert had been served that Molly finally cracked.

"What have you brought us all here for, Harry dear?" she asked curiously. "Not that I don't love having you all together, but… you said you had an announcement?" Harry nodded, trying to calm his nerves. He smiled when he felt Remus' hand on his knee under the table, concentrating on the silent support.

"Yes. Well. As you all know, I've been back together with Tony for a couple of months now," he began, ignoring the dark look on Ginny's face, and the concerned one on Molly's. "And, well, we've been doing a lot of talking recently. Long story short… Luke and I are moving to Malibu. Next week, actually." And chaos began. Molly immediately jumped out of her chair, a horrified expression on her face.

"Harry, that's far too soon, don't you think? It's hardly been three months," she exclaimed. "Think about Luke; is it really the best for him to move in with a man he doesn't really know?"

"Wanna move in with Papa," Luke piped up, expression determined. Molly's face softened slightly as she turned to the five year-old.

"Of course you do, sweetheart; he's new, and exciting, and different. But think about how far away you'll be from your family! You won't be able to come over and play with Alex and Vicky, or get a cuddle from Uncle Remus when you're upset!"

"Dad says we can come back and visit lots. And Vicky's mean, I don't wanna play with her," he added matter-of-factly. Harry stifled a snort, while the girl huffed out loud in offence.

"You can't honestly say you're surprised, Mum," Charlie remarked evenly. "This has been coming since the day they met up again. I'm only surprised it's taken them this long to sort things out." He offered Harry a grin, and the black-haired man smiled back, glad Charlie was on his side.

"Yeah, congrats Harry. We're happy for you, mate," Ron added, Hermione nodding in agreement by his side.

"We're not doing this lightly, Molly," Harry insisted. "We're doing what's best for Lucas; he needs both his parents, and it's not fair to keep him torn between two homes. Tony can't move to England, all his work is in the States. I can do mine from anywhere in the world if I choose."

"But you're only twenty-two, Harry," Molly protested. "You can't know that it will be the best for your future!"

"Molly, sweetheart, you were eighteen when you married me," Arthur cut in meekly.

"I'll be twenty-three in two months, Molly, and I assure you, I know what I want, and that's Tony. I've been in love with him for nearly six years, and he feels the same. You might not like him, and you might think he has a bad reputation, but just trust me when I say he's not like that anymore, and he loves Luke and me." Harry turned earnest eyes on the Weasley matron, begging her to believe him. She bit her lip, sighing.

"I just worry about you, Harry dear."

"Yeah, well you can worry less when I'm in Malibu. Tony will take care of me Molly, and Luke. He's a good man," Harry assured her.

"Harry's a grown man now, Molly," Remus said softly. "You can't stop him making his own decisions. And I can assure you, Tony is wonderful with Luke, and he's besotted with Harry. You have nothing to worry about."

"I can't say I'm happy about it," she said eventually, sitting back down. "But if it's what you want, then… I wish you all the best." Harry smiled at her, squeezing Remus' hand gratefully.

"Thank you, Molly." He looked around, seeing almost everyone else looking pleased for him. Ginny was, of course, the exception; she still looked rather shell-shocked. "You are, of course, all welcome to visit whenever. You especially, Hermione; Tony wants to talk about the project with you, catch up on where you are." Hermione beamed at the prospect, nodding.

"I look forward to it," she replied, making him grin.

"Congratulations, Harry," Neville told him earnestly, smiling. "I'm sure you and Luke will love it in Malibu."

"You'll have to check for gulpods," Luna added seriously, smiling. "They're very rare now, but it's said they like sunny beaches."

"Will do, sweetheart," Harry promised, wondering what the hell a gulpod was. He knew better than to ask.

Slowly, the surprise faded and the group started getting back to their dessert, conversation picking up once more. When the kids grew bored with sitting still, the kitchen started clearing out, and Harry began picking up the dishes, depositing them in the dishwasher. He almost jumped when Ginny spoke, having assumed he was alone. "So, you and Tony, then. I guess you're in it for the long haul." She sounded almost defeated, somewhat forlorn, and Harry wondered if Remus' suspicions were correct.

"Yeah, we are," he replied, unable to quell the grin that rose at the thought of being in it for the long haul with Tony. Raising Luke together, possibly having another child together. Still being together ten, twenty, even fifty years down the line. "Why have you got such a problem with him?" She opened her mouth as if to deny it, then closed it, frowning.

"I just… I don't understand it. I never have. He seduced a boy half his age, knocked you up, then ignored you for five years. If he really loved you, he would've contacted you at some point. But I never understood what you saw in him anyway. Hermione showed me all those news articles about him; he's a playboy, he's crude, he drinks, he gambles. What on Earth do you find attractive about him?" Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Tony's public persona and his actual personality are two very different things," he explained. "He might have slept with a lot of people in the past, but he's completely faithful to me, I assure you. He's only crude to shock people into leaving him alone, and he hasn't gambled or had a drink in months. As for what I find attractive about him, well; he's hilarious, he's ridiculously intelligent, he's horrifically stubborn at times and he honestly wouldn't be able to manage without Pepper, but he's really sweet and he doesn't even realise it, and he's fun to be around… just, the little things. Even the things most people find annoying, I like. I love him, Ginny. You don't need to understand what I see in him, only acknowledge that I do. It's not your relationship." She recoiled as if slapped, and Harry felt a brief flicker of guilt.

"He doesn't deserve you," she told him frankly, and he chuckled.

"Perhaps not," he acquiesced. "But most of the time I'm convinced I don't deserve him either, so I suppose we're suited." Not waiting for a response, he left the kitchen, heading to the living room where the rest of the family were gathered. He immediately found himself with a small girl attached to his leg, and he lifted her with ease.

"Don' wan' you to go, Uncle Harry," Rose murmured, bottom lip wobbling. "Gon' miss you." He rubbed her back, kissing her hair.

"I won't be gone forever, poppet," he insisted softly. "I'll be back to visit all the time, and you can come out and see me with your Mum and Dad. And I'll only be a phone call away." She didn't look convinced, but seemed mildly cheered-up, and Harry kept her in his arms as he went to sit down. Alex tugged on his hand, looking concerned in the way that only a child of Percy Weasley could.

"Will we still get to see Luke?" he asked hopefully, and Harry patted him on the head with a smile.

"Of course you will, Alex. Like I told Rosie; we'll be back to visit all the time. Twice a month, if not more," he promised. Several people within earshot seemed to brighten up at the news, particularly the kids, and Harry passed Rose over to Hermione as the girl began to doze off against his shoulder.

"We're gonna miss you, y'know, mate," Ron told him simply. Harry bumped his shoulder gently, offering a grin.

"Nah; you won't even notice I'm gone."

.-.-.

As promised, Tony turned up at the airfield on Friday morning, ready to help Harry and Luke pack up their things. Harry greeted him with a long kiss, practically bouncing with excitement. "We're mostly packed already," he assured as he unlocked the door to the house after the short drive over. "All Luke's toys and everything, most of our clothes, and a load of other random crap. A lot of stuff I'm leaving here — my Hogwarts stuff, Luke's baby stuff, some books and things — but there's still a lot you can help with."

"We'd better get started, then. Where's the kid?" Tony asked, releasing Harry and starting up the stairs.

"In his room, trying to decide what to take with us and what to leave behind. He doesn't need all of the stuff he has; half of the toys in his room he's not played with since he was three," Harry explained. Knocking on the doorframe to Luke's room, he gained the attention of the pair inside it. Luke's face broke into a wide grin, and he launched himself at Tony.

"Hi, Papa," he greeted, climbing into Tony's arms.

"What up, little man," Tony replied, kissing Luke's temple. "How's packing going?"

"Good. Uncle Moony's helping me," he added, jerking a hand towards the werewolf, who was stood over a box full of toys.

"Hey, Remus," Tony said with a nod towards the man, who smiled.

"Morning, Tony. Good flight?"

"Yeah, not bad. Anything I can help with?" Tony queried, eyeing the near-bare room with a slight frown.

"Not in here, but you can come help me. I still have half my wardrobe to pack," Harry told him, hooking an arm around Tony's elbow. "I swear, it's a good thing we're not selling Grimmauld, or I'd have to pack up the furniture as well. There's nothing you can think of that we'd need at yours, by the way, is there?" Tony frowned, doing a mental inventory of everything he remembered in Grimmauld, and everything in his place.

"Not that I can think of. Other than the chair in Luke's bedroom; you've had that chair since he was a baby, do you want to bring it along?" Harry smiled, nodding at Tony's words.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Tony caught Harry's hand, tugging him to face him.

"Harry, it's gonna be your place too; if you want to bring every piece of furniture from this house, I'll make room for it. I remodel my place about three times a year, don't think we can't adjust things to make it ours rather than mine," he insisted. Harry smiled softly, kissing him.

"I know. But I really don't see the point in bringing most of my stuff when you've already got everything; I might as well leave it for Remus. I'm really only attached to that chair," he assured. Tony didn't look convinced, but let it go, eyeing the empty boxes ready to be filled with Harry's clothes. There were already several full boxes shrunk in the suitcase lying on the bed. Harry reached into his wardrobe, pulling out a stack of t-shirts. "I hope you're good at folding," he said with a smirk, watching Tony groan.

They were a good way through the clothes before Harry faltered, and Tony paused, watching him pull a box out of the bottom of the wardrobe. "My maternity clothes," Harry said softly, opening the box to pull out a pair of jeans with a very large, elasticated waist. Tony's eyes widened, and Harry glanced over at him. "Should I bring these, or…?" The double meaning of the question was obvious, and Harry's heart seemed to stop in the time it took Tony to answer.

"Bring them," he declared, taking the box from Harry and setting it with the other 'to keep' boxes. "They might come in handy in the future." His tone was casual, like he was just deciding about a set of normal clothes, but the implications were huge. Harry beamed, eyes bright; sure, they'd mentioned it before, but he hadn't thought Tony was being completely serious.

"I love you," he breathed, winding an arm around Tony's neck to pull him into a kiss. "And I'm not saying soon. But maybe one day, when we're more settled with things."

"One day," Tony agreed, looking somewhat apprehensive. "I didn't get to be there with you through your pregnancy with Luke, but… I told you, you look hot pregnant in the photos. I want to experience it in person, someday." Harry laughed, wondering how Tony could make something as incredible as 'I want to have another kid with you in the future' sound so perverted and lecherous.

"Right. Packing," he murmured, reluctantly pulling away. Still, he couldn't quell the little bubble of joy that took residence in his heart.

.-.

Once Harry's clothes were packed, they moved onto things like photos, ornaments and books, hunting through the rest of the house for things they might have forgotten. More of Luke's toys were unearthed in various places about the house, and Harry insisted that if he hadn't noticed them missing, he wouldn't miss them when they stayed behind. Eventually, however, the boy managed to decide on what he was bringing with him and what was being left behind, and Tony took him downstairs for a snack while Harry shrunk the rest of the boxes, fitting them in suitcases to take back on Tony's jet with them. Harry joined them as Luke was finishing his apple, smiling in satisfaction and pushing his fringe out of his eyes. "We're packed," he declared, reaching past Tony for a banana from the fruit bowl.

"Completely? We're good to go?" Tony confirmed, and Harry nodded.

"Two suitcases, at the bottom of the stairs. We can leave as soon as you're ready." He grinned at his partner, who smiled back, both of them as excited as their 5 year-old son.

"I hope not _that_ soon," Remus replied, amused. "You've not said goodbye yet." Harry sighed, moving across the kitchen to hug Remus so tight his feet left the ground.

"I'm never saying goodbye to you," he insisted, kissing Remus' cheek. "Not properly. You'll not be rid of me that easily; I'll see you every month, and I'll be calling all the time. Like, really, _all_ the time." Remus laughed, hugging back equally tightly.

"I know, cub, but I'll still miss you, and Luke. I've gotten used to having you both around over the years." Harry grinned impishly, releasing the blonde man.

"Yes, well, if you got yourself a girlfriend — or boyfriend — you could get used to having someone else around for a few years." Remus growled playfully, shoving Harry's head and ruffling his hair.

"Brat," he muttered, ignoring Harry's laughter. "Luke, cub, come here and give me a cuddle, I'm not gonna see you for a while." Luke didn't hesitate to jump into Remus' arms, hugging the man as tight as he could. Remus inhaled his scent, kissing his messy black hair. "Be good for your dad and papa, yeah? And have fun. Remember, you can call if you need me, and I'll pick up, no matter what." Harry bit his lip when he saw a few tears streak down Luke's cheeks, and was very glad he'd made a date to say goodbye to everyone else three days prior. They'd been messes after that, but saying goodbye to Remus was ten times worse.

"You can fly him out to live with us if you miss him too much," Tony murmured, arm sliding around Harry's waist as his lips pressed to the Brit's ear. Harry laughed wetly, leaning into his lover.

"I'll be okay," he promised. "He's just… been with me through everything. It'll be weird not having him around." Tony hugged him tight, and eventually Remus turned to them.

"You look after my boys, Tony Stark," he said firmly, and Tony nodded.

"Yes, sir. And please, visit whenever, I mean it. Malibu or New York, there's a room for you whenever you want it." Remus smiled at Tony's words, surprising the American by handing Luke to Harry and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Tony; I'm sure I'll take you up on that soon. Have a safe flight," Remus said, patting him on the shoulder. He then looked to Harry for one last hug, and Tony gently eased Luke out of his partner's arms.

"I love you, Moony. I'll see you soon, yeah?" Harry murmured, losing the battle against tears.

"I love you, too, cub. Look after yourself, and enjoy it. You've been waiting for this moment for nearly six years," Remus pointed out with a grin. Harry chuckled, wiping at his cheeks.

"Yeah, you're right." He took a deep, steadying breath, plastering a smile on his face. "I'll call you when we get to Malibu."

"You'd better. Go on, get going; you don't want to make Tony's pilot cranky." Tony snorted; his pilot was always cranky.

"Come on, kiddo," he murmured, stroking Luke's wet cheek. "Let's go load up the car." Harry grabbed one of the suitcases while Remus took the other, and Tony carried Luke out to the car. Harry's motorbike had already been lovingly shrunk and stored in a box; there was no way he was leaving that behind. Fitting the two cases in the boot with ease, Luke was buckled into his booster seat, and Harry gave Remus one last hug.

"See you soon, cub," Remus said with a smile, kissing Harry's forehead. "And stay out of trouble." Harry laughed, raising an eyebrow at the man.

"You forget who you're talking to, Moons, but I'll try. Look after yourself, yeah? Don't shut yourself away." Remus smiled wryly.

"I don't think Molly would let me. But I promise, I'll try and get out and… meet people." Harry grinned triumphantly, sliding into the front passenger seat of the car. Remus waved to Luke in the back as they pulled out, and Harry smiled faintly when Tony reached over to squeeze his knee.

By the time they actually reached the airfield, Luke's tears had dried and been replaced by excitement; he'd never been on a plane before. Entrusting their cases to the flight attendants, Harry and Tony followed Luke as he practically ran up the stairs, gasping in awe at the jet. Harry smirked, remembering the private plane fondly. Though like everything of Tony's, it had been remodelled since the last time he'd seen it. Luke bounced on the sofa, grinning widely. "This is so cool!" he declared firmly. Tony smirked, always pleased when one of his toys passed Luke's inspection.

"Please buckle up and prepare for take-off, sirs," the flight attendant requested politely. Harry led Luke over to one of the chairs, strapping him in, before taking his own seat next to Tony. He glanced out of the window as they took off, Luke bouncing in his seat with his face pressed right to his own window. Harry leaned into Tony's shoulder, smiling when the older man's arm wrapped around him.

"You okay?" Tony asked softly, and Harry hummed noncommittally. Tony stroked his hair, kissing his temple. "Wanna play Mario Kart?" Harry snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you _have_ Mario Kart on this thing?" He paused, blinking. "Of course you do, what am I talking about, you're Tony Stark." Tony smirked at him, unbuckling his seatbelt and wandering over to the television. Seeing Tony get up, Luke instantly undid his own belt, diving back onto the sofa.

"You wanna play Mario Kart, little man?" Luke nodded happily, sitting beside Tony as he started up the game. "Come on, gorgeous. I'll let you be on our team." Harry couldn't help but smile at Tony's words, unbuckling himself and joining the pair on the sofa. Tony thrust a controller in his hand, leaning over to kiss his jaw. "There we go. Now come on, let's go kick Yoshi's butt."


	28. Chapter 28

Luke, being five years old and easily exhaustible, was sleeping on the sofa before they even reached American airspace. Harry and Tony were taking advantage of the time to talk; when Tony wasn't distracting him with kisses, at least. "I think Ginny might start hating you less soon, y'know," Harry said conversationally, head on Tony's lap as he stretched out on the bed. Tony raised an enquiring eyebrow, a sceptical expression on his face.

"Really? What makes you say that?" Harry relayed the conversation he'd had with her, and Tony winced. "She has a point, y'know. My reputation is hardly glowing." Harry rolled his eyes, reaching up to stroke Tony's goatee.

"It's in the past," he insisted. "You know I don't mind all that." Tony shrugged, fingers carding through Harry's hair.

"I still wish I hadn't done it. The only stuff I can excuse is the stuff that happened between September last year and around February. And even that I regret, I was an ass." Harry looked at him curiously; when he'd asked in the past, Tony had always avoided the period of time since becoming the Iron Man.

"What happened then?" he asked gently. "You never talk about it, but you told me about everything else…" Tony sighed, looking torn.

"I was dying," he admitted, and Harry froze. "I was using a palladium core for the Arc Reactor, and it was slowly poisoning me. As far as I was concerned, I wouldn't live much past my birthday. It's why I had the Expo; I wanted to go out with a bang. But… I was an idiot. I drank myself stupid, I pissed off Pepper, I hurt Rhodey… I nearly levelled the house, it's why it's smaller." Harry had seen about that in the news. "I was crossing off my bucket list, even though the one thing on the top of the list was to find you again. I didn't want to if I was just gonna die on you." Tony's hand paused in its motion for a few seconds, before continuing. "I got the attention of SHIELD — Strategic Homeland something blah blah. They'd been after me since the creation of the Iron Man, but I really pissed them off. They had one of their agents infiltrate Stark Industries as a secretary. I should introduce you to Natasha, you'd like her," he added, smiling faintly.

"How did you fix it?" Harry asked, stunned. He'd assumed Tony was having some sort of mid-life crisis, what with the Iron Man and turning thirty-five and the company being in an uproar. He'd never imagined something like that.

"Dear old Dad," Tony told him with a wry smile. "Left me a little treasure hunt that, long story short, resulted in me re-discovering a new element that became the perfect little permanent core for the Reactor," he explained, tapping the device pointedly. "No more poisoning, no more dying. Win-win for everyone, but now I owe SHIELD a life-debt or whatever, so I'm their consultant." Harry snorted; he knew all too well about those.

"Just be glad it's not a magical life-debt," he retorted. "Then you're magically bound to do whatever the person you owe it to asks of you at any one time. They can call in the debt whenever they want, and if you don't obey, you lose your magic. Or die, depending on the debt." Tony let out a low whistle, grimacing.

"Ouch. Yeah, I wouldn't want Nick Fury with that kind of hold over me. But I suppose I should warn you, they have agents popping in and out on occasion. Coulson, usually; he's not so bad, kind of a dork. Natasha, of course; she's gorgeous, but if you piss her off, she could kill you with a paperclip. Hell, she could kill you with her bare hands, with both legs tied together. Clint comes along occasionally, that's always fun. He's a dead-shot with just about anything, I'm almost certain it's a mutant power, there's no way in hell that can be learned. Prefers a bow and arrow, though. Earned himself the name Hawkeye."

"Because he's got the eye of a hawk?" Harry asked dryly, and Tony snickered.

"No, because he likes to roost in high places," he replied evenly. "He's pretty entertaining, though, for a SHIELD lackey. And him and Coulson totally have some major UST going on. He tries to play it off by acting all lovestruck for Tasha, but I see right through it. Hawk-boy has it bad for Mr Uptight Agent." Harry smiled; Tony talked about them in that tone of voice he reserved for people he would never admit he called a friend. Obviously the trio had gotten under his skin a little more than he'd have liked.

"They sound great. It's good to have people to keep you on your toes. I look forward to meeting them," he said quietly, sitting up and facing Tony. "Be honest with me; you're not dying now, right?" Tony's eyes widened, and he shook his head.

"No, no, definitely not dying. The complete opposite of dying; I can charge myself up from a plug socket if I need to." Harry snorted, relaxing in relief. "I promise you, green eyes, I'll be around for many years to come." Neither of them mentioned the exception to that sentence; if something he faced in the Iron Man became too much for him.

"Good, because I've only just got you back, and I'm going to need some support for this whole parenting lark once Luke hits puberty. If he's anything like you, he's going to be horrendous; I'm still not convinced you've left it," Harry teased. Tony gave a mock-offended look, bringing a hand to his chest.

"Me? Who was it that went on vacation alone at seventeen and seduced a man thirteen years older than him by lying about his age and name?" he retorted playfully. Harry snorted, shifting onto Tony's lap with an impish grin, pushing him back against the headboard.

"I don't remember you complaining," he pointed out. Tony's hands rested on Harry's hips, drawing him closer.

"No, no, no complaints from me." Harry smirked, leaning in for a kiss.

"Good to hear."

.-.-.

They landed in Malibu in the late evening, with Happy waiting for them at the airfield. Luke was awake once more, though starting to flag, and Harry doubted he'd stay awake much past getting home. He was surprised to see Pepper in the living room at Tony's, and she took the suitcase from Tony with a smile. "Welcome home, guys," she said, grinning at Harry, who couldn't help but grin back. It was still a little surreal to him; Malibu was officially home to him now. Until Stark Tower was finished, at least.

"I don't know about you, but I am definitely ready for bed. And not even in the fun way. In the 'I need to actually sleep for eight hours' way," Tony declared, sounding surprised at his own limits. Pepper rolled her eyes, sighing.

"That's what you get for staying up for thirty-eight hours working on your new racing car," she scolded. Harry shot Tony a look, and he pouted.

"F1 season starts in a week, Pep, it needs to be ready in time," he reasoned. Pepper put her hands on her hips, not buying it.

"They _have_ a car, Tony. They have _several_ cars."

"Yeah, but they don't have _this_ car," Tony told her, as if she just didn't get it. "This is the one that's going to win it for us."

"Whatever, Tony, just come get some sleep," Harry urged. "I could definitely do with going to bed as well. Let's put this one to bed and call it a night. It's great to see you, Pepper; we can catch up in the morning. You can tell me if you've been on any more dates with mystery man."

"She has," Tony informed him. "She still won't tell me his name. I'm starting to worry it might be Hammer." Pepper physically gagged, looking disgusted.

"You think I'd date that creep? God, Tony, no!" Harry snorted at her reaction, amused. "Goodnight, I'll see you three tomorrow."

"Night, Pep!" Tony called, following Harry down the hall to Luke's room. The half-asleep boy didn't protest as they manhandled him into pyjamas and tucked him into bed, murmuring sleepy goodnights to them as they left his room.

They practically fell into bed themselves, sluggishly stripping to their boxers, and Tony slung an arm around Harry's waist as the smaller man curled up with his head beside the Arc Reactor. It seemed even more precious to the wizard now that he was aware of how easily it could have been killing Tony just as much as saving him. "Tomorrow, we shall celebrate you moving in here. With lots and lots of crazy, awesome sex," Tony mumbled into Harry's hair. "But tonight, we sleep." Harry snorted, kissing Tony's chest.

"Whatever you want, sweetheart. Just shut up and be a good pillow for me."

.-.-.

The majority of the day after was spent unpacking, mostly with Pepper's help. Harry resized all the boxes in the living room while Tony waited in the bedroom, and then they carried them around the house to their appropriate rooms. Luke insisted on being left to his own devices to unpack his things, once all the boxes were in his room, so the adults left him to it, confident that JARVIS would let them know if anything happened. "I wish you could just magic everything in place," Tony muttered, placing shirts on hangers and passing them to Harry to hang in his half of Tony's walk-in wardrobe.

"If you want me to break JARVIS and most of the equipment in the house, then sure," Harry retorted wryly. "That amount of magic would definitely make things go boom." Tony huffed in annoyance, and Harry kissed his cheek as he leaned in for more shirts. "How's the research going with Hermione, anyway?" he queried, watching Tony light up at the question.

"Great, I think. She says she's onto something; something about mixing a spell with a potion?" Tony said with a raised eyebrow, and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, that would allow you to apply the spell to the machine without blowing it. The innate magic in potions is different, and doesn't disrupt electricity like a spell would. The enchantments on my bike are done partly with potions; I can't believe it's taken Hermione this long to come to that conclusion! She's usually faster than this," he mused, frowning. "Must be Rose taking her time up. Maybe I should throw my lot in; I was always better at spellcrafting than her, anyway." The way Dumbledore had explained it when he was learning was that Harry had more raw power and a better connection to magic, as well as more of a willingness to break the 'rules' of spellcrafting to get what he wanted.

"Y'know, if it works, it might be an idea to patent it. I'd like a supply of this potion if you can do it for any of my future projects; I don't want you to feel like you can't do magic because of my toys, and Luke will need the freedom to learn without breaking things," Tony reasoned. "Hell, I could make it standard, have Stark Industries sell magic-safe tech. Branch out into the wizarding world," he added with a smirk. Harry bit his lip thoughtfully.

"You could, actually," he mused. "You'll need to fill out some paperwork regarding the Statute of Secrecy, have a separate devision of wizards and witches to control the potion use, but… you probably could do it. I know a lot of muggleborns and half-bloods would appreciate it; being able to phone home from Hogwarts rather than wait to send and receive letters would be great."

"I'll talk to Pepper about it," Tony decided, tossing an empty box aside and reaching for the next one.

"Talk to me about what?" Pepper asked, walking into the room with a raised eyebrow.

"Creating a sub-division of Stark Industries to make magic-safe technology once we figure out a way to do it. Apparently there's some secrecy clauses involved, and it would have to be separate from the main company to prevent people finding out," Tony explained, rifling through the box and reaching to the pile of hangers at his side.

"Why don't you have it be a merger of PotterCo and Stark Industries?" Pepper suggested, fingers combing through her fringe. She rolled her eyes at Tony as he struggled with neatly hanging a dress shirt, snatching it off him to do it properly. "PotterCo already have the paperwork signed to work in both worlds, I assume, and then you could keep Stark Industries involved without having to go through all that trouble." Tony looked at her, eyes wide, his 'why didn't I think of that?' expression on his face.

"Pepper, you're a genius," he declared solemnly. "Knew I kept you around for a reason. What do you think, bright eyes?" he asked, turning to Harry. "Fancy bringing your company and mine into holy matrimony?" Harry snorted at the wording, a smile on his face.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. I mean, they'll probably end up merging sooner or later; Luke's got to inherit both, hasn't he?" he pointed out. Well, unless they had another kid, that was. "I'll email my second in command and have him start sorting out the basics."

"There's a reason I came in, by the way; not just to save you from Tony's terrible hanging skills," Pepper added, passing Harry a pile of neatly hung shirts. "Lunch is ready; are you going to take a break, or do you want me to bring it in here?"

"How's Luke doing, JARVIS?" Tony asked, throwing another empty box with the rest.

"He is trying to decide which of his superheroes to put on the shelf with Iron Man, and which to keep in the toybox. From what I understand, it's a very important decision, and he is not to be disturbed," the AI replied, a slight wryness to his computerised voice. Harry snorted, shaking his head slightly.

"I think we'll keep working through, if you don't mind, Tony. The sooner we finish, the better."

.-.

They finished unpacking at just after six, and Pepper ordered Chinese to celebrate. Luke finally emerged from his room, declaring himself finished, and cuddled up between Tony and Harry on the couch with a bowl of noodles in his lap. "Pep, come sit with us," Tony urged, beckoning the redhead over. Pepper obviously knew better than to argue with him, sitting lightly on the couch on Tony's other side, tucking her legs up underneath her. "That's better. Back to work as usual tomorrow, make the most of it while you can," he pointed out, stealing a spring roll from her plate.

"Pepper, do you live here too?" Luke queried, glancing over at the woman.

"No, sweetie, but I might as well with how often your papa calls me out here," she replied, making Harry chuckle.

"Oh. Will you play with me after dinner?"

"Pup, it's bath time after dinner," Harry reminded his son, and Luke scowled at the mention.

"But Da-ad!" he whined. Harry laughed, ruffling his hair.

"But nothing, bratling. Pepper won't want to play with you if you're all smelly," he teased. Pepper giggled, watching Luke go bright red.

"I'll play with you after your bath if you want?" she offered, causing the boy's face to light up.

"Yay!" he cheered, grinning. "Can I call you Aunt Pepper? Cuz Moony lived with us in England and I called him Uncle Moony, and if you almost live with us and you're Papa's best friend then you should be Aunt Pepper." Pepper blinked, clearly shocked by the boy's words.

"Sure, Luke. I'd be honoured to be your Aunt Pepper," she agreed, smiling at him. His grin widened, and he bounced in his seat a little.

"Looks like you're stuck with us, Pep," Tony murmured, tugging her ponytail childishly. She rolled her eyes, poking him in the shoulder.

"I've been stuck with _you_ for years, Stark," she pointed out. "I don't mind being stuck with those two." Tony pouted, and Harry snickered.

When Luke was fed, bathed, and had played with Pepper for twenty minutes, it was finally time to put him to bed. Harry grinned when Tony sat down on the boy's other side in the bed, holding the book between the three of them so they could take turns reading to him. "I've got a few things to do in the shop before bed," Tony murmured once Luke was asleep, flicking out the lights and getting the night-light.

"Sure," Harry agreed easily, not offended. "I'll see you when you come to bed, and come get you if you forget." He leaned in, capturing Tony's lips, and Tony hummed into the kiss happily.

"Mm, how could I forget when bed has you in it?" he retorted with a raised eyebrow, smirking. Harry laughed, pushing Tony in the direction of the stairs. He wandered back through to the living room, seeing Pepper gathering her bag.

"You off?" he asked, and she looked up, nodding with a smile.

"Yeah; if it's business as usual tomorrow, I have to get to bed early tonight," she pointed out. "Not that Tony bothers with early mornings," she added with a frown.

"Don't worry; I'll make him get up on time," Harry promised, smirking. Pepper laughed, reaching over to hug him tightly.

"Thank you," she said softly, pulling back with her hands on his shoulders, expression serious. "For letting Tony back into your life. He was a mess without you."

"He was always in my life," Harry retorted with a half-smile. "He just didn't know it. And I did it as much for myself and Luke as I did for Tony." Pepper smiled, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Yes, but fatherhood suits him surprisingly well, and he wouldn't have known that without you," she reasoned.

"It does suit him, doesn't it?" Harry agreed, leaning in to kiss Pepper's cheek. "Trust me, I'm not going anywhere now. I'm sure between the two of us we can whip him back into shape," he remarked with a smirk, making her laugh.

"Oh, I'm sure we can. Goodnight, Harry." Harry walked Pepper to the door, smiling when he saw Happy waiting to take her home.

"Night, Pep."

.-.-.

Harry was surprised when JARVIS announced a visitor early the next morning, getting up off the sofa in an effort to look somewhat presentable. Tony had already been whisked away to a meeting by Pepper, and Luke was taking the opportunity to get a lie-in after the excitement of the day before. The wizard raised an eyebrow at the stocky, suit-clad man who entered the living room, confusion on his face upon seeing Harry. "Where's Stark?" he asked, glancing around as if expecting Tony to appear at any moment.

"Meeting, he won't be home for another fifteen minutes or so. Who are you?" Harry questioned warily, shoulders tense.

"Agent Phil Coulson, SHIELD," the man introduced curtly, and Harry let out an 'ah' of understanding.

"Yes, Tony said you lot had a habit of dropping by unannounced. You might as wait for him to get back, then. Drink?" he offered, padding over to the kitchen.

"Generally, when one person introduces themselves, the other returns in kind," Coulson remarked, making Harry smile briefly.

"Yes, well, I've never been one for social conventions." He paused, then decided to put the man out of his misery. "Harry Potter," he introduced, not giving any other information. He was pleased when there was no reaction to the name, proving that SHIELD didn't know about magic, and clearly weren't that interested in PotterCo.

"Usually Pepper's better at getting rid of Stark's one-nighters in the morning," Coulson said evenly. Harry chuckled, grabbing a handful of blueberries from the fridge. It was interesting how Coulson was on first-name basis with Pepper, but not Tony.

"I imagine Tony would be rather annoyed if Pep tried to get rid of me in the mornings," he replied, enjoying taunting the man with his evasiveness.

"I think Tony would fire me if I tried to get rid of you. Not that I'd want to," Pepper cut in, ascending the stairs with Tony at her heels.

"I definitely would. Coulson, what brings you to my humble abode?" Tony asked, darting around Pepper to join them in the kitchen, stealing a blueberry from Harry's hand.

"Get your own," Harry muttered, turning away to defend his food, and Tony merely kissed him on the cheek, using the distraction to steal another berry.

"I need to talk to you, Stark. In private," Coulson replied, giving a pointed look to Harry.

"Harry already knows about Fury's super secret boy band, Coulson, you don't need to be so cryptic," Tony assured the man, turning to Harry. "Luke not up yet?"

"No, I think yesterday wore him out. If he's not up in the next ten minutes, I'll go get him. He'll never sleep tonight if he sleeps so late today," Harry pointed out.

"I don't have all day, Stark. And I'd still prefer to speak in private," Coulson reminded sharply. Tony huffed, rolling his eyes. Swiping one more blueberry, he glanced over at Coulson.

"Yeah, well, my house, my rules. So have I been rejected from the Avengers Initiative again, or what?" Coulson glared, but seemed to accept that he wasn't going to be able to speak to Tony in private.

"The matter is irrelevant, seeing as the World Council seem pretty intent on shutting the initiative down," he reported. "But yes, Fury still doesn't want you in it while you've got that big black 'self destructive' mark in your file." Harry frowned, placing a bowl of blueberries in front of Tony in order to save his own.

"I told you, I was dying!" Tony complained. "Of course I was self destructive! That was like, a whole four months ago. A lot has changed since then." He glanced at Harry, smiling. "I have a lot more to live for now."

"I should bloody well hope so," Harry muttered.

"Lucas is awake, Mr Stark," JARVIS cut in, though he needn't have bothered as a few moments later the pyjama-clad boy shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes, stuffed penguin in hand.

"Morning, pup," Harry greeted brightly, smiling at his son.

"Mornin'," Luke mumbled, peering up at Coulson quizzically. "Are you a friend of Papa's?" Harry snorted, and Coulson looked completely confused.

"No, short stuff, he is not," Tony declared, hoisting Luke up to sit on a chair, kissing his hair briefly. "He's a mean man who won't let me play with his friends." Luke frowned, levelling a sleepy glare at Coulson.

"You should let Papa play," he urged. "He plays fun games. And he always lets me be Iron Man when we play superheroes even though he's the real Iron Man." Harry grinned at his son's words, setting a bowl of cereal in front of him. "Thank you, Dad."

"This is new," Coulson murmured, and Tony shrugged.

"Not really. Two months, technically five years and ten months," he reasoned. "But I meant it when I said I have a lot more to live for."

"I can see that," Coulson remarked quietly. "Fury is definitely going to want an explanation."

"Not much of an explanation. My boyfriend, our kid," Tony replied simply. "Explanation over. Now, was there something you needed? Because I promised Luke I'd show him how to build a circuit board today." Luke grinned at the reminder, and Coulson looked taken aback.

"Clint was hoping you'd take a look at the explosive arrows he's been working with," he said after recovering. "They're detonating too early, he almost blew his arm off in the last mission." Tony frowned, looking annoyed.

"I told him they'd do that. Tell bird-brain not to use anything the SHIELD armoury give him until he's given it to me and I've made it better," he instructed. "Their R&D department is filled with monkeys who couldn't wire their way out of a cardboard box." Coulson looked offended, but didn't argue, obviously knowing Tony was far superior in the matter. "Give me a week, I'll make him some arrows that won't kill him."

"Thanks," Coulson muttered, looking almost pained at saying the word. "I'm going to have to let Fury know about them," he added, gesturing to Luke and Harry. "But who knows; maybe this family-man angle you're trying for might actually score you some points, if you can keep it up." Tony looked at him, unamused.

"I don't like what you're insinuating there, Coulson, but go ahead and tell Fury if it'll make you happy. Pepper, make the mean man go away please." Pepper sighed, looking apologetically at Coulson.

"I'll show you out, Phil," she murmured, beckoning the man towards the stairs. "And I'll explain everything at brunch on Tuesday." Harry raised an eyebrow as the two left; Pepper was going to brunch with him on Tuesday?

"Well, that was… interesting. Since when did Pepper brunch with SHIELD agents?" Harry queried, leaning against the counter beside Tony, their shoulders touching.

"Since she and Coulson started conspiring against me to make sure I wasn't gonna have another meltdown. I thought they'd stop since, y'know, you're here, but I guess Pepper's sort-of friends with him now. Traitor," Tony added in a mutter, making Harry snort.

"I'm sure Coulson's not that bad, if Pepper likes him." Tony didn't look convinced, but shrugged, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the counter while he waited for Luke to finish his breakfast. When the boy was finished, Tony deposited the bowl in the dishwasher, grinning at his son.

"Ready to go work, kiddo?" he asked, and Luke nodded eagerly, far more awake now. "Go get dressed, then we'll head down to the shop." The boy scrambled from his chair, running from the kitchen.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth!" Harry called after him, hearing a faint 'yes, Dad!' in reply.

"What's your plan for today, then?" Tony asked, one hand either side of Harry's hips against the counter, closing him in. Harry wound an arm around Tony's neck, smiling.

"Not much, really. Some PotterCo paperwork to fill out. I'll talk to some people about the merger, too, and get Hermione on Skype for a brainstorming session on the potion/spell combination. She's probably got the potion sorted already, it'll just be the spell part she's having trouble with; that was always more my area than hers," he explained. Tony nodded, leaning in for a lazy kiss.

"There's a tech-free room in the lower levels if you need to experiment on stuff, just ask JARVIS." Pausing, Tony kissed him once more, smiling at Harry's surprised expression. "Feel free to come join us in the shop anytime," he offered. "I might be able to teach you a thing or two while I'm teaching the kid." Harry chuckled, hand resting on Tony's waist.

"I might take you up on that. I'll see how long I'm talking with Hermione," he assured, kissing Tony once more. They parted when Luke returned, and Harry watched father and son race down to the workshop, a grin on his face. Living with Tony was looking like it'd be a lot easier than any of them thought.


	29. Chapter 29

Within a few weeks, it was almost like the small family had been living together for years; Luke was loving having both his fathers around, and was quickly becoming as much of a gearhead as his Papa, Tony relishing in having a willing student. The boy spent a lot of time on Skype with Remus, chatting as well as going through their meditation sessions together in one of the lower rooms of the house that Tony assured was about as tech-free as anything in his house could get. It was strange, for Harry, not having his godfather around, but he had made the man promise to visit once they were a little more settled, and part of him was still convinced he could eventually get him to move in with them. When they were in New York, perhaps. But as they got into the flow of living together, Harry was constantly surprised at how easy it seemed to be. He wasn't bothered by Tony's long hours down in the shop, or his habit of randomly taking notes mid-conversation; he'd gotten used to it once, it was easy for him to get used to it again. Tony, it seemed, just loved having his family there, and having company that wasn't just Pepper and Happy.

Hermione, Ron and Rose came to visit two weeks after Harry and Luke had moved in, and Luke loved being able to play big brother to Rose for a little while, showing her how to build sandcastles at the beach like Tony had shown him. Hermione, on the other hand, had spent almost the entire week with Harry and Tony, working on the potion/spell combination. She'd brought several vials of potions with her that would absorb spells, and it was just up to Harry to perfect the spell they'd theorised. It took a couple of days to get the spell polished, and then get the magics to twine, but by the time the witch left, Tony's Arc Reactor was completely magic-proof, as were almost all of his electronics in the main house. Harry had sent both the blueprints of the spell and the potion recipe to the brand new Stark Industries-PotterCo merger devision, ready to start mass production on all Stark Industries technology. Ron hadn't minded being in charge of the kids for most of the week, though he did make the adults spend time with him when he could.

Harry slipped into the main house through the patio doors, tapping in the access code to disable the alarm, running a hand through his sweat-drenched hair. He'd taken to running along the beach when he could; usually when Tony got out of bed early and woke him up. He almost jumped out of his skin when a fist came his way, reacting on instinct to grab it and twist the assailant's arm round, trapping them against his chest. "Who are you?" he hissed, magic rearing beneath his skin, rattling the glass doors.

"Me? Who the hell are you, and how did you get the access to Stark's place?" the woman he was holding retorted sharply.

"Sir, I suggest you release Agent Romanoff; Mr Stark will not be happy if he comes home to find you injured in any way." Harry relaxed at JARVIS' words, though his grip on the woman was still like iron.

"Romanoff? Natasha Romanoff, of SHIELD?" he checked, and the redhead nodded once. "Bloody hell, don't you SHIELD lot ever knock?" He let her go, and she whipped around, eyeing him warily.

"Why does JARVIS talk to you?" she asked suspiciously, making him roll his eyes.

"Because I live here, genius. Tony's not here, so if you wanted him for something, you're going to have to come back another time," he told her, trying to get his pulse to slow down. It was nice to know he hadn't lost his war reactions.

"Wait, you're Harry Potter?" she asked, and his eyes narrowed; did she know? "Coulson really wasn't kidding, was he?" Harry relaxed once more as he realised that she'd heard about him through Coulson, not any connection to the wizarding world.

"I'm not even going to ask how you got in here, and just assume that JARVIS let you in because he knows you. Because I swear to God, JARVIS, if you're letting strangers get in when Luke's home alone, I'm going to be having words with Tony," he warned the AI, fear gripping him at the prospect of someone getting into the house while he as out running and Tony was working. Maybe he'd be better off using the gym room downstairs; at least then he'd still be in the house.

"Agent Romanoff is on Mr Stark's list of people I should allow in the house without confirmation, sir," JARVIS assured, and Harry let out a breath of relief, turning to the woman.

"So, Natasha — can I call you Natasha? — What brings you here? Like I said, Tony's out, and probably will be for a while," he told her, walking through to the kitchen to pour himself some water.

"Clint's on a mission, I came to pick up his new toys while he's away. And while I have access codes to the house, I don't have them to the workshop," she explained, looking annoyed about that. Harry smiled; that was easy enough to sort out.

"That's the grappling arrows, the tear-gas arrows, and the new quiver, right?" he checked, remembering Tony bragging about them when he'd finished them. Natasha nodded, and Harry drained his glass, setting it on the side. "Come on, then." He beckoned her to follow him, jogging down the stairs to the workshop.

"So you and Stark are a thing now, or what?" Natasha asked, politely looking away as he input his personal code and scanned his thumb-print on the workshop door.

"Well, we're living together, sleeping together, and raising a kid together, so yeah, I'd say we're a thing. Problem with that?" he asked evenly, crossing the room to where Tony had stored Clint's new equipment.

"Wait, Coulson wasn't joking about the kid? I don't believe it," she declared, shaking her head. Harry smirked, checking he had all the arrows Tony had made.

"You can meet him if you like, I need to get him up in a minute," Harry offered evenly, passing the quiver full of arrows to the redheaded agent. "There you go; tell Agent Barton that if he wants any more, he only has to ask. Also, could he please come get them himself next time, as from what I've heard, he's far less likely to give me a heart attack than you." Natasha smirked somewhat proudly, shouldering the quiver.

"I have to go, but maybe I'll meet this kid next time," she replied, following Harry out of the shop. He shrugged, leading her to the front door.

"Sure, whatever. Just next time, please don't try and kill me," he requested, making her laugh quietly.

"No promises. Thanks for getting the goods," she added, and he smiled, leaning in the doorway as she started down the drive.

"You're welcome," he called, shutting the door behind her. Jogging back up the stairs, he went to go get Luke up, only to find him already in the kitchen, sat expectantly at the table. "Morning, love; have you been waiting long?" Harry asked with a smile, immediately going to get the boy's breakfast.

"Nope," Luke assured, shaking his head. "What are we doing today?"

"Not sure yet, pup. Tony should be home in an hour or so, I guess we'll see if he's got any plans. Was there anything you wanted to do today?" Harry asked, leaning against the counter. Luke shrugged, thinking.

"Not really." Harry frowned when his phone went off in his pocket, eyebrows rising when he saw it was Tony.

"Hey, love, what's up?" he asked lightly, trying to keep the concern out of his tone. Tony should've been in a meeting.

"Iron Man emergency," Tony told him instantly. "I'm using the briefcase suit. Take Luke down to the lower levels just in case, would you? I don't want to take any chances."

"What is it?" Harry questioned, moving to turn on the news on the small screen set in the wall next to the microwave.

"Not sure yet, but there's something grumpy tearing up San Francisco," Tony replied. "Listen, Harry, I have to go. I'll call you when everything's fine."

"Stay safe," Harry urged. "Don't do anything stupid. I love you." Tony chuckled, and Harry could practically hear him grinning.

"Love you, too, bright eyes. Later." Tony hung up, and Harry sighed, looking at the TV. Even the news stations weren't aware what it was, just that it looked like a sentient hurricane. Harry now understood why Tony wanted them in the lower levels of the house. Turning the TV off, he looked to Luke, who was finishing up with his cereal.

"So, guess what, pup? Go get dressed, nice and quick. I'm going to take you further downstairs, to some of the other rooms down there; did you know there's a whole three levels full of rooms you've never even seen?" Luke's eyes went wide in awe, and Harry grinned, determined not to let his son know about his worry. Luke practically fell off his chair in his excitement, running to get dressed, and Harry sighed. Hopefully Tony wouldn't be too long.

.-.-.

"Sir, Mr Stark is home." Harry let out an audible sigh of relief at JARVIS' quiet words, watching Luke sat on the edge of the pool table, rolling the balls against the bumpers and grinning when they rebounded back at him. The boy had been deeply entertained exploring the lower levels of the house, making Harry wonder why they didn't use them more often. He could understand keeping Luke out of the top floors, the 'public' floors, as it was easily visible and where Tony had his parties, but everything below the floor they lived on was either workshop or extra rooms that they never got round to using.

"Come on, pup; time to go back upstairs and go wash up for lunch," he urged, lifting the boy off the pool table. Luke whined sadly, but obeyed, dashing up the stairs in front of Harry, heading for the bathroom. The wizard's eyes searched out Tony as soon as he got upstairs, smiling when he saw the man lying on the sofa. He was battered, a little bruised and cut up, and his suit was ruined, but he was alive and smiling. "Everything okay?" Harry asked, making Tony grin.

"Oh yeah. Some idiot with a home-made tornado maker. I do not envy the city council having to rebuild," he added with a grimace, grabbing Harry by the hand to pull him down to his side. "How was your day, honey?" Harry laughed at the overly-sweet tone, leaning in for a kiss.

"Not bad, actually. Nearly had a heart attack coming in from my run when Agent Romanoff ambushed me. Gave her Agent Barton's new toys, and asked her to please not try and kill me in future. Then spent the day exploring the lower house with Luke," he said, and Tony raised an eyebrow.

"Natasha stopped by? She didn't say, and she was there in 'Frisco. I wish they'd call before coming over; what if we'd been having sex?" Harry shuddered at the mental image of Coulson or Romanoff interrupting him and Tony, wincing.

"Please, never even _suggest_ the possibility again, please," he requested, making Tony snort. "Why do we never use most of the lower levels, by the way? There's some pretty cool rooms down there." Tony shrugged, shifting until his head was on Harry's shoulder.

"I got out of the habit, then pretty much just forgot they were there. You can do whatever you want with them, though," he offered, eyes half-closed. Harry hummed noncommittally.

"Not much point, is there, really? Stark Tower will be done in 4 months," he pointed out, smiling when Luke returned, shoving his clean hands towards Harry for inspection. "Looks good, kid. Any preferences on lunch, Tony?"

"BLT?" Tony requested with wide puppy-eyes, making Harry smile.

"Yeah, sure. Pup? Bacon sound good?" Luke nodded, climbing up onto the sofa beside Tony as Harry got up, making for the kitchen. "Where's Pepper?" he called, reaching into the fridge.

"Date with mystery man," Tony replied. "She barely even stuck around to make sure I got in okay."

"I guess taking care of you is my job, now," Harry pointed out teasingly.

"Lucky me," Tony muttered with a smirk, wrapping an arm around Luke's shoulders and turning on the TV. "Oh, by the way, I called the school on the way home. Luke's all set up and ready to go, though they're aware he'll be leaving at the end of October. And I called Henley Prep, they've got his files and are ready to receive him after Christmas break." Luke's face lit up at the prospect of school, and Harry smiled.

"Brilliant. Term starts on the 16th, right?" he checked, and Tony nodded. A little under three weeks until Luke had to be back at school. "We'll have to get him kitted out soon, then." He carried two plates towards the sofa, the third levitating behind him, and passed them out to the pair on the sofa, sitting back by Tony's side.

"More importantly," Tony drawled. "What are we doing for your birthday?" Harry sighed, shrugging. He and Luke had already been back to visit England for pre-birthday celebrations, and he couldn't really think of anything he wanted to do in particular for it.

"I don't know. Nothing big. Maybe just you and me go out for dinner, or something? We've not done that in a while," he suggested. Between Luke, Tony's work, and Iron Man, they hadn't really had the chance to have a proper dinner date all summer.

"Done and done, I'll have Pepper make reservations, and ask if she can babysit. How's that sound, kiddo? A night hanging out with Aunt Pepper sound fun to you?" Tony asked Luke, smirking as Luke beamed, nodding. Tony was definitely enjoying the whole 'Aunt Pepper' thing, teasing her about it on every occasion he could. "And I'm getting you a present," Tony added quietly to Harry, who groaned.

"Tony, you don't need to get me a present," he insisted for what felt like the fiftieth time in the past few weeks. "You've already done so much, and there's really not anything I need."

"Don't care, getting you a present," Tony insisted stubbornly. Harry huffed, nudging Tony in the side, but knew better than to argue. Once Tony was set on something, there was very little that could convince him otherwise. Besides, it wasn't like he didn't have the money to blow.

.-.-.-.

Harry didn't know what Tony had bribed Luke with to get him to have a lie-in on the morning of his birthday, but he didn't care; it had been a long, long time since he'd been able to have both a lie-in _and_ morning sex. "Happy birthday," Tony murmured once he'd caught his breath, smirking. "And for the record, that wasn't your present."

"Don't care, it was bloody fantastic," Harry replied, lying boneless on the mattress underneath his partner. Tony looked proud, bringing Harry into a kiss.

"Twenty-three, huh? Still far, far too young for me. I love it," he mused, nipping at Harry's bottom lip. Harry chuckled, fingers tangling in Tony's hair to pull him closer.

"Cradle-robber," he teased, smiling. "But you seem to be getting hotter as you get older, so I'm definitely not complaining." Tony raised an eyebrow, mock-offended.

"Are you saying I wasn't hot six years ago?" he asked, making Harry laugh.

"Oh, no, you definitely were. But now… wow. I mean, your arms, seriously, and those abs…" Harry ran a hand down Tony's chest, smiling. "I guess I have the Iron Man to thank for that." The armour was heavy, and surprisingly difficult to control, and learning to master it had forced Tony to gain a lot of muscle definition. Even with the Arc Reactor, he was in the best shape of his life. "Shower?" Tony smirked wolfishly, lifting Harry up and crawling off the bed with him in his arms bridal style, Harry letting out a yelp of surprise. "Put me down, you git!" he exclaimed laughingly, whacking Tony on the shoulder. Tony shook his head, carrying him through to the bathroom and commanding the shower to turn on. He set Harry down under the water, immediately sinking to his knees without hesitation. Harry groaned, arousal flooding his veins at the sight of a wet Tony kneeling in front of him, darkened eyes staring up at him in lust. "Best birthday _ever_ ," he declared firmly, before he lost all coherent thought.

.-.

Clean, dressed, and thoroughly spent, Harry and Tony wandered through to the living room to find Luke sat on the sofa with a bowl of cereal in his lap, watching cartoons. "Hey, kiddo. Where'd you get the cereal?" Harry queried, ruffling his son's hair as he walked behind the sofa. Mouth full, Luke pointed to the kitchen, and Harry's eyebrows rose to see Pepper sat at the breakfast bar, her heels abandoned on the floor.

"Morning," she greeted, a knowing smirk on her face. After everything she'd seen throughout his time with Tony, Harry refused to be embarrassed.

"Morning, Pep. Thanks for keeping the kid occupied," Tony replied, nodding towards her.

"There's French toast from that little place on Main Street for you both, too," the redhead informed him, nodding towards the microwave. She herself had a bowl of muesli and fruit, and was scrolling through the news on the surface of the bar.

"Pepper, you're a star," Harry murmured happily, the aroma of sugar and cinnamon hitting him as soon as he opened the microwave door. There were two plates of French toast, sticky with syrup and dusted in powdered sugar with sliced strawberries on top, and he passed one to Tony, who was practically drooling.

"Happy birthday, Harry," she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek as he passed. He grinned at her, sitting opposite Tony with his breakfast.

"Thanks. And thanks again for babysitting tonight." She rolled her eyes, cutting him off.

"Oh, please, it's no trouble," she insisted. "To be honest, I'm surprised you guys don't ask more often. And besides, babysitting Luke is nothing compared to babysitting Tony." Harry laughed, nodding in agreement as Tony pouted, looking remarkably like his five year-old son.

"I hate it when you two gang up on me."

.-.

They spent most of the day hanging out at the beach with Luke, who seemed to want to spend as much time there as possible before school and New York. The expected paparazzi were there, but since they hadn't yet managed to find the connection between Harry and Tony, or figure out that they lived together, Harry didn't pay much attention to them.

They went home when the sun started to set, and Pepper was there ready and waiting, dressed down for once in dark jeans and a green tie-dye top. "Go shower and change, both of you, or you'll be late. I'll keep an eye on Luke for his bath," she assured, taking the five year-old's hand and shoving both men towards their bedroom. Tony smirked, saluting.

"Yes, ma'am." It was no surprise that Pepper had laid out their clothes on the bed already; a habit she couldn't quite seem to break. But Harry was never sure what was appropriate wear for the many types of restaurant Tony frequented, so he appreciated it. Resisting the urge to repeat the morning's shower antics, the pair cleaned up and dressed, Harry admiring Pepper's fashion sense as he eyed Tony's well-fitted charcoal trousers and equally well-fitted dark red shirt, a waistcoat matching the trousers over the top. There was a black tie lying on the bed in the pocket of Tony's jacket, but Tony ignored it, and Harry rolled his eyes.

For him, Pepper had left out tight black trousers and a jacket, and an emerald green shirt that he knew damn well looked good on him. He also had a tie, a silver skinny one, and he assumed it was part of their restaurant's dress code; Pepper knew he didn't like wearing ties unless he had to. "Well, don't you clean up nicely," Tony murmured, eyeing him appreciatively. "You looking like that, we might not make it to dinner." Harry chuckled, tugging him into a slow kiss.

"You know how mad Pepper will get if we miss our reservations," he reminded when they parted. "Besides, we have all night afterwards for that." Tony pouted, but obediently followed Harry from the bedroom, the pair of them finding Luke with his legs over Pepper's lap on the sofa.

"You guys look nice!" he declared with a grin when he saw them, making them both smile.

"Thanks, pup. You be good for Aunt Pepper, yeah?" Harry leaned over the back of the sofa to kiss Luke's forehead. "Go to bed when she tells you, and we'll see you in the morning. Love you." Luke nodded, kissing Harry's cheek and then reaching for Tony when the man leaned over. Harry kissed Pepper's cheek quickly, smiling at her.

"Thanks, Pep. We'll see you when we get in." She smiled, straightening his collar.

"Take your time, I have nowhere to go tonight." When she saw Tony, she huffed, dragging him closer by the collar of his shirt and removing the tie from Tony's jacket pocket. Harry watched in amusement as she did the tie for him, giving him a stern look. "Keep it on." Tony huffed, looking one step away from stamping his foot.

"Yes, Mom." Harry snorted, and Tony ruffled Luke's hair. "See you tomorrow, then. Love you, kid."

"Love you both," Luke replied, settling back down with Pepper. Tony slipped his hand into Harry's, and together they left the house, slipping into the sleek silver SI car that was waiting for them with Happy at the wheel.

"Sirs," the man greeted politely, smiling. "Happy birthday, Mr Potter."

"Thank you. But I've said it a thousand times, call me Harry," Harry insisted, buckling his seatbelt as Happy pulled out of the drive.

"Yes, Mr Potter," Happy replied, making Harry growl in frustration and Tony snicker.

They pulled up outside a fancy Italian place that Harry had been to a couple of times before, and Harry rolled his eyes at the automatic camera flashes that greeted them when they stepped out of the car. Really, they might be a little more subtle if Tony didn't insist on having 'STARK' on every single one of his license plates. Tony took it all in his stride, slipping an arm around Harry's waist to direct him towards the door. "Reservation under Tony Stark," Tony murmured to the waiter at the desk at the entrance. "Table for two, somewhere private." The young man nodded wide-eyed, grabbing two menus and taking them to their table. Harry raised an eyebrow as Tony pulled his chair out for him before seating himself, and Tony looked offended. "What? I can be a gentleman!" he insisted, making Harry laugh.

"Yeah, once in a blue moon," he retorted playfully.

"Well, it is your birthday," Tony reasoned with a smirk. "Just water for me, please. Still, with ice, no lemon," he said to the waiter, who scrawled it down hurriedly.

"Same for me, please," Harry agreed, and Tony frowned.

"Just because I'm not drinking, don't let it stop you," he started, but Harry shook his head.

"No, no, I'm fine with water." The waiter nodded curtly, offering a tentative smile.

"I'll give you some time to decide," he murmured, leaving them alone. Harry smiled across the table at Tony, trying to ignore the staring of the other patrons. He wished the media would just find out and get it over with, then they could stop speculating and leave them in peace.

"You really do look gorgeous in green," Tony murmured, gaze intense, and Harry blushed.

"And you look gorgeous in everything," he retorted, before smirking. "And nothing." Tony grinned, winking smugly.

"I got an invite to some charity Christmas ball today. I think it's for cancer kids, or disabled kids. Something with kids. Be my date?" he requested hopefully.

"Of course," Harry agreed without hesitation, smiling. "Is it the one in LA? Because I think I got an invite for that too." Tony nodded, and Harry let a small, mischievous grin cross his lips. "I usually refuse; they'll go mad when I actually accept this time. Or I could refuse and then just come as your plus one," he added contemplatively. Tony shrugged, and they both straightened up when the waiter returned with their drinks, Harry not having realised he'd been unconsciously leaning closer over the tabletop, Tony's hand covering his. They ordered their food, and Harry glanced around when they were alone once more. "How long d'you think before people clock on?" he queried, amused.

"I think most people are assuming we're dating," Tony pointed out. "But us going out with Luke throws people off, and they definitely haven't figured out you're living with me yet. I'd give it a month or two. Then another week before they figure out who you actually are."

"At least then they can't accuse me of being after you for your money," Harry reasoned, a slight half-smirk on his face. While Tony's fortune was far more substantial, PotterCo was still an incredibly wealthy business, and with Harry's inheritance — especially when galleons were converted to pounds — he was definitely far too rich to be classed as a 'gold-digger' by any means.

"They probably will anyway," Tony said with a knowing look. Harry sighed, shrugging; he was probably right. But honestly, so long as they didn't start badmouthing Lucas, he didn't care what they said about him. He said as much to Tony, who nodded in agreement.

"If they badmouth Luke, I'll sue their asses, don't worry," he assured, making Harry snort.

"Good to know."

The waiter returned with their food surprisingly quickly, and Harry smiled as he dug into his food. "So, I know I promised you a present," Tony started once he finished his meal, making Harry look up in trepidation. "And I have yet to deliver. So, here." He held up a small box wrapped in red and gold paper, passing it to Harry, who raised an eyebrow.

"This isn't what I think it is, is it?" he asked warily; the box was small, and square, and like something you might put a ring in. Tony's eyes widened in alarm, and he shook his head.

"No, no, maybe next year. Go on, open it." Harry blinked at the 'next year' comment, warm butterflies erupting in his stomach, and started carefully tearing the paper. Clearly several other people watching had the same initial thought as Harry, as he could see many waiting on tenterhooks, cameras and phones out ready to take photos. Harry was surprised when he opened the lid of the box to see a small data chip resting on a red silk pillow.

"What's on it?" he asked, knowing it could be anything with Tony.

"JARVIS," the older man explained, somewhat nervous. "Fit that chip in your phone, and you'll have the same access to him that I do. I've put one in the laptop I'm building you, too. But… wherever you are, whenever you need him, he's there for you in case I can't be." The Brit's eyes widened, amazed at the amount of trust his lover was showing him. To give him complete access to JARVIS in something that could leave their house… even Pepper didn't have that. She could text and call JARVIS, but it would re-route through the house's main servers. The chip Tony was giving him would actually upload JARVIS himself to his phone. Tony couldn't have given him a more intimate present short of taking the Arc Reactor right out of his chest and handing it over.

Harry beamed, setting the box in the centre of the table before leaning over the table and cupping Tony's cheek, pulling him into a kiss. He didn't care about the cameras, or the people watching. "Thank you," he murmured sincerely, smiling. "I love it. I love you." Tony smiled back softly, looking pleased, his nervousness fading.

"Love you too, gorgeous, I'm glad you like it." He bit his lip, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Damn it, Harry, you know I'm not good with… emoting." Harry snorted, and Tony flashed a quick sheepish grin. "But I need you to know how much you giving me a second chance means. You and Luke… you're _everything_ to me. You mean more than the Iron Man." Harry's eyes widened; he definitely wasn't expecting that from Tony, especially not in public. "You probably aren't aware of just how much of a wreck I was before I saw you again in New York, but… thank you, for saving me from myself." Harry leaned forward, bringing his lips to Tony's once more.

"You're very welcome, but I promise you, you aren't the only one who was saved by our meeting again," he murmured, sitting back with a slight flush to his cheeks when the waiter returned to take their dessert orders and take their empty plates away. It was true, though; if Harry hadn't met Tony again, he probably would've continued living the half-life he'd lived before; only leaving the house when Luke or one of his friends wanted him to, not trying to meet anyone and dreaming of Tony near on every night.

They ordered chocolate fondue to share, and Harry couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips every time he even looked at Tony, amazed how far they'd come. "Can you believe that in two days, it'll be six years since we first met?" he mused aloud, sounding amazed. Tony smirked at him, eyes obviously roaming his torso.

"I have to say, green eyes, those six years treated you very well," he replied, smirking. Harry laughed, rolling his eyes. "It's been an eventful six years, to say the least. You have definitely been the highlight." Harry blushed, making Tony smirk. They separated when the waiter returned with a small pot of chocolate fondue over a burner and a plate of assorted fruit and marshmallows, as well as two small fondue forks. Harry rolled his eyes when Tony made obscene faces over his first piece of banana, even when his trousers grew tighter in response.

"Tony," he scolded quietly, earning a wink.

"I'm not doing anything," the older man insisted innocently. Harry snorted, spearing a strawberry on his fork.

"Sure you're not." Tony's smirk widened around a chocolate-covered marshmallow, tongue darting out to catch a stray drop of chocolate off his lower lip. "Starting to regret ordering fondue," Harry muttered, making Tony laugh.

"We can take it back to the car if you want? The restaurant won't mind so long as I tip well," he suggested. Harry bit his lip, glancing around.

"No, no. Wouldn't want to make a mess of the car," he remarked with a smirk, drawing a low groan from the back of Tony's throat.

"Oh, you tease," he murmured, sounding almost proud. "Then let's hurry this up so we can get home for the ridiculously awesome birthday sex." Harry grinned, swallowing a piece of banana.

"With pleasure." Between them, the fondue didn't last long, and Harry pocketed his birthday present while Tony paid the bill, resisting the urge to get it out and just stare at it in awe. Taking Tony's hand on their way out, he was unsurprised to see Happy waiting for them with the car. Harry slid in, Tony getting in beside him, and they quickly pulled out before the journalists could get too many pictures. Harry leaned into Tony's side, smiling. "Thank you," he murmured. "It's been a really great birthday." Tony kissed his temple.

"You're very welcome, gorgeous, but it's not over yet." Harry smirked to himself, brain already wondering what sort of birthday present he'd be getting once they reached the bedroom. He was dating Tony Stark; it was going to be _fantastic._


	30. Chapter 30

Harry didn't know who was more nervous; himself, Tony, or Luke. Unfortunately, Tony couldn't be there to drop Luke off for his first day of school; Pepper had tried to reschedule his meeting, but the buyer was particularly stubborn. So Harry found himself driving Luke to school alone, almost physically shaking with nerves. "Just be yourself, pup, yeah?" he assured, glancing at his son. "But remember, don't mention magic, and don't say who your Papa is, okay?" Luke nodded, having been thoroughly briefed on it by both of them for the past few days. While they weren't hiding Tony's connection to Luke, they didn't want the little boy to be the first one questioned when it came out, and him telling everyone his Papa was Tony Stark would definitely do that.

Pulling up in the school parking lot, Harry got out and unstrapped Luke from his booster seat, crouching down to be at eye level with him next to the car. "Have fun, and try and make friends, okay? I know it's only until November, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it while you're here." He leaned in, kissing his son's messy hair. "And your Papa and I love you, no matter what. Even if you don't like it much," he added. Luke bit his lip, nodding, and Harry straightened up, holding Luke's hand on their way in. A petite blonde woman was waiting by the door, and she smiled warmly.

"Hi," she greeted chirpily, a friendly smile on her face. "First day of school?" Harry nodded, and she gave him a knowing look. "The K class is the first door on the left there. I'm Miss Anderson, I'm the teaching assistant for K through 2."

"I'm Harry Potter, and this is my son Luke," Harry replied, squeezing Luke's hand in reassurance.

"Hi," Luke greeted shyly, and Miss Anderson grinned at him.

"Hey, Luke. Are you excited about starting school?" Luke shrugged, nodding, his grip on Harry's hand tight. "A lot of the class are already here; how about I introduce you to your teacher? And then you can start making some friends," she encouraged. Harry urged Luke forward, following Miss Anderson through to the classroom, where she beckoned over the only adult in the room. It was another woman, this one a young brunette with a kind round face, wearing a bright green cardigan and polkadot red and white dress.

"Hey there, are you joining us?" she greeted, addressing Luke. He was glancing around the bright classroom inquisitively, watching the kids who were already there as they played.

"Yeah," he murmured, attention more on his surroundings than her. She didn't take offence, looking up at Harry.

"I'm Miss Leyman, I'll be your son's teacher," she introduced, reaching over to shake Harry's hand.

"I'm Harry Potter, this is Luke," he told her, and she nodded.

"The boy who's only with us for a few months?" she asked, and he nodded in confirmation. "Well, welcome. I hope Luke enjoys his time here, however short it may be." Harry smiled, crouching down in front of Lucas once more.

"Why don't you go see if those three will let you play with them?" he suggested with a smile, seeing two girls and a boy playing with Lego. "You like Lego, don't you?" Luke nodded tentatively, and Harry ruffled his hair, grinning at him. "Give us a hug, and I'll see you at three. I love you, pup."

"Love you, Dad. Give Papa a hug from me when he gets home," Luke instructed, hugging him tightly, making Harry stifle a grin; Luke had gotten up early with the specific purpose of hugging Tony about twelve times before he left that morning.

"I will, pup. Now go on, go make some friends." He pulled back from the hug, nudging Luke gently in the back towards the other kids, and grinned to himself when Luke shyly approached the nearest girl, quickly being accepted into the group.

"Well, he doesn't seem to have any problems," Miss Leyman remarked, amused. Harry chuckled, getting to his feet.

"Yes, well, he's not a shy boy, I'll tell you that now," he told her with a wry smile, and she laughed.

"That's always good. I'll see you at pick-up then; if you just come to the classroom when you get here, the kids will all be waiting," she explained. He nodded, taking one last look at Luke. The boy was heavily engrossed in his Lego, and didn't seem to notice he was leaving. Smiling to himself, Harry nodded goodbye to the teacher and slipped out of the classroom, hoping that Luke would enjoy himself.

.-.-.

It took two weeks before the paparazzi finally caught on. It was a stupid reason; Harry had gone out for a run again and used the top floor entrance to get in, not wanting to be ambushed by Natasha if she was in the main part of the house. What he hadn't noticed was a particularly determined young journalist following him, snapping pictures as he let himself in. "Tony, Harry, you might wanna see this," Pepper called, sounding concerned. With a flick of her wrist, the article on her tablet was up on the television screen, and Harry winced. There were three pictures; one of him and Tony out for dinner on his birthday, kissing over the table. Another of him, Tony and Luke at the beach, and the third of Harry letting himself into the house from the top floor. There was a big bold headline stating ' _Stark moves new lover and child into mansion_ ', and Harry grimaced as he read the beginning of the article. It was just as predicted; he was a 'nameless man' who was, apparently, seeing Tony for his money, and was taking advantage after Tony's 'unstable few months'. They thankfully hadn't said anything about Luke, clearly realising that printing lies and gossip about a five year-old was taking it too far. However, there was plenty of speculation about how long Tony would bother with 'the fatherhood approach'.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Pepper muttered angrily, seeing several more articles that JARVIS flagged up. A couple of them had actually made the connection between Harry then and Harry six years ago, though none of them yet knew who he was. Harry's eyebrows rose as he read one article.

"They think I stole your _sperm_?" he exclaimed, incredulous. The article went on to say about how, in their brief affair six years ago, Harry had stolen and frozen Tony's sperm in order to create a child with which to blackmail Tony into handing over Stark Industries and dating him.

"Wow. These people are crazy," Tony realised, stunned. "Pepper, schedule a press conference for tomorrow; we need to clear this up, I don't want anything getting back to Luke." Pepper nodded, pulling out her phone, and Tony leaned over to kiss Harry's cheek. "We need to think up a battle plan. As much as I'd love to tell everyone how Luke is our son biologically, I think a few people might have something to say about me exposing magic to the world," he pointed out.

"We'll say I knocked up a girl because I was depressed over leaving you," Harry suggested. "Then, I don't know, she died in childbirth or something. I can have my guys falsify records; they can do a whole damn fake family tree if they have to, they're bloody good at it. I mean, just look at what they've done for me." Harry's fake backstory and identification was so solid, even Nick Fury hadn't been able to find anything wrong with it, just a frustrating lack of information on Luke. Though he still didn't trust Harry, but they ignored that; the Brit had managed to win over the three SHIELD agents he actually came into contact with, so that was good enough. "And we can create an image of a girl who looks an awful lot like you, to explain Luke's… similar features."

"You think they'd buy it?" Tony asked, and Harry gave him a flat look.

"Tony, they think I stole your sperm," he pointed out evenly. Tony blinked, then shrugged, conceding the point. "I'll go call my blokes, you answer the many, many emails you're likely to have." Dropping a kiss on Tony's lips, Harry got up and reached for his phone. They had a lot of work to do before tomorrow.

.-.

The next morning found Harry and Tony stood with Luke in the side room of the conference room at the Stark Industries building, Pepper peering through the gap in the door. "I think they're ready," she told them, and Tony nodded. He cupped Harry's neck, pulling him in for a kiss.

"I love you. That will not change between now and the end of this press conference. Ignore anything they say about you," he said firmly, making Harry smile.

"Tony, I can guarantee, whatever they say, I've heard worse back home," he assured, squeezing Tony's hand briefly. Tony nodded, bending down to pick up Luke with ease, and together they followed Pepper out into the main hall. The gathering of reporters instantly started clamouring for attention, shouting over each other in order to be heard, and Luke buried his face in Tony's shoulder, covering his ears. Tony frowned, kissing his hair.

"It's okay, kiddo. One second," he murmured, before looking up at the crowd and stepping up to the microphone. "Everyone shut up now or I'll have you all removed," he declared, and there was instant silence. "I do not care about your questions, or your opinions, or your assumptions. In the past I haven't objected to the press in my personal life, but that is going to change today. In the past, I had nothing in my personal life worth caring about whether it got plastered all over the news. Now, however, I have two things I care about very much. This man, and this boy. Many of you may recognise this man by my side as the young man I dated for two weeks, six years ago. Less of you may recognise him as Harry Potter; owner, chairman, and CEO of PotterCo." There were several wide eyes at this announcement, and Harry could see the pens scribbling furiously. "Harry, gorgeous, step up here so these people can see you better." Harry sighed, but moved closer to the podium, slipping an arm around Tony's waist with a smile.

"Contrary to popular belief," Tony continued, "I am actually capable of feeling basic human emotion." There were a few scattered chuckles, and Tony passed Luke to Harry so he could step in front of the podium, pacing. "Not only does this include things like annoyance, rage, boredom, lust — things you all know me very well for — it also includes love, and I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, I am very much in love with Harry James Potter." Harry blushed as Tony met his eyes while he spoke, and he heard Luke giggle quietly. "Harry has previously kept his life out of the media as much as possible, and I can't blame him; I only wish I could say the same for myself. However, I would like this courtesy to continue; if the journalists in England can manage it, I'm sure you can too. I do not want my life, his life, or the life of our son to be gossip in a late-night talk show." Tony paused, smirking. "Yes, _our_ son. Lucas is five years old, and for the small handful of you that are capable of basic arithmetic, that means he was conceived shortly after Harry and I parted ways six years ago. No, that does not mean Harry _stole my sperm_ ; honestly, were you serious about that? Because that is truly the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long, long time."

"If I might cut in here," Harry piped up tentatively, offering Tony a small smile. "I'll only say this once, and I hope you appreciate how difficult it is for me to say this not only in front of you all, but in front of my son, and save me the trouble of repeating myself in future. Lucas' mother was a girl I met a few days after coming home from Malibu six years ago. Even after two weeks, I knew I loved Tony, and I was devastated having to go home. I met Lydia in a bar, and, well, she looked so much like Tony it was astonishing. I was drunk, and I made a mistake, and I wish I could regret it, but it gave me the most wonderful thing in my life," he reasoned, kissing Luke's hair. "Lydia unfortunately died in childbirth, leaving me with sole custody of Luke. Since reuniting with Tony at a charity event back in early April, I can safely say that Luke loves Tony as a second father, and Tony is wonderful with him."

"Thank you, Harry," Tony replied, smiling honestly. "There you have it, folks; no big mystery. I may be Iron Man, I may be the head of Stark Industries, but I am, in fact, only human. And there is nothing humans are better at than falling in love. Sorry to disappoint, but my party days are well over; I'm probably going to be incredibly boring to report on in the future. The paperwork is in place for me to legally adopt Luke, and hell, if it were legal in this state, I'd marry this man right here," he said matter-of-factly, causing several gasps from the crowd. "So there's a headline for you; Tony Stark supports gay marriage. Because I really, really don't want to have to bother going to Canada."

"It's legal back home," Harry pointed out. "And recognised in New York." Tony smirked, nodding.

"This is true. I believe I've covered everything, so feel free to ask questions. Hands up, and I warn you now, stupid questions will get you thrown out and your equipment confiscated, so think carefully." There were a few moments of silence, in which the reporters clearly formulated their questions carefully, before the first hand went up.

"Mr Stark, don't you think it's a little premature to be adopting his child? You said it's only been five months," one woman asked, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Stupid question, up, out," he ordered, watching the woman's face pale as Happy moved towards her. "Lucas is my son, regardless of blood; I love him, and I don't believe I asked anyone's opinion on the speed of my relationship."

"Mr Stark, will this bring any changes to the marketing strategies of Stark Industries?" a tall, greying man asked, and Tony pointed at him emphatically.

"Not stupid question, thank you!" The man looked relieved, and Harry stifled a smirk. "I currently have no plans to actively change our marketing strategies, or our main clientele. However, I am designing and making things for Luke's entertainment. Whether or not those things will be patented and sold en-masse remains to be seen, but I would not be surprised if Stark Industries' range of products widened to include childcare items, toys and educational technology. If I'm making these things, I might as well make money out of it," Tony pointed out with a shrug.

"Papa's toys are _awesome_ ," Luke declared proudly, earning several 'aww's from the audience, and a grin from Tony.

"Mr Stark, will your son then be in line to take over Stark Industries?" a portly, balding man at the back asked. Harry fielded that one, raising an eyebrow at the man.

"He's five," he said simply. "He wants to be either a superhero or a dragon when he grows up." Several members of the audience laughed, while Luke merely grinned. "It's too early to tell whether Luke will be taking over either Stark Industries or PotterCo, though he is very much welcome to either or both if he so pleases. If he doesn't want them, we'll work something out." Tony nodded in agreement, checking his watch.

"I'm bored of you people now," he announced. "Go home. If I see any articles that cover things Harry and I have not specifically said in this interview, or involve speculation of any kind regarding our personal lives, Luke's parentage or the future of either of our companies, I _will_ sue. Have a nice day." Turning on his heel, Tony headed towards the door, Harry walking alongside with Luke in his arms and Pepper and Happy bringing up the rear. When they were back in the side room, Tony's posture relaxed, and he rolled his shoulders, letting out a groan. "I hate the media." Harry let Luke down to the floor, gently massaging Tony's shoulders and kissing him on the cheek.

"You did great," he soothed. "Though that was a terrible, terrible marriage proposal if that's what you were aiming for." Tony snorted, tilting his head back for a kiss.

"It wasn't, but duly noted. Would you prefer a private proposal or a skywriter over the city?" Harry rolled his eyes, squeezing a little harder than necessary.

"I don't care, so long as you mean it," he insisted. Tony smiled lazily at him, leaning into the touch as it softened.

"I meant it in there. I'd marry you tomorrow if it were legal in this state and I thought you'd go for it." Harry blinked, surprised.

"Ask me again when we're in New York." Tony smiled in satisfaction at the answer, nodding, and both men looked up when Pepper cleared her throat.

"That should give them enough information to be going on, for now. Though I doubt they'll be happy with it. You might want to be careful taking Luke to school for the next couple of weeks; have Happy drive you, or something," she suggested, giving Harry a concerned look. Happy nodded in agreement, offering a smile.

"Not a problem," he assured.

"I think you shocked them all when you said your party days were over, love," Harry remarked, making Tony snort.

"I'll still party," he insisted. "Just not as wildly as I used to, and I'll actually be going home with the same person every night." Harry nodded, an approving look on his face.

"You'd better," he muttered possessively.

Conversation was halted when Luke's stomach let out a loud growl, and Tony snickered when the boy flushed.

"Well, I think that answers the question of what next," the billionaire declared, ruffling Luke's hair. "What do you want for lunch, buddy?"

"Pizza!" Luke requested excitedly, making Harry chuckle.

"Well, it is a Saturday," he relented, figuring the occasional unhealthy meal wouldn't kill them. "Pizza it is. And you probably want to change out of that suit, too," he added, Luke nodding emphatically. While he looked adorable in his little smart suit, Harry was aware of just how much he hated wearing it.

"I'll bring the car round," Happy murmured, slipping out of the room through the back entrance, and Tony slung an arm around Harry's waist.

"I hope to God that's my last one of those for a while. Board members I can handle; journalists? I'm just glad I didn't shoot anyone." Harry sniggered, and Luke let out a giggle.

"I'm glad you didn't too. Come on, you'll feel better after pizza."


	31. Chapter 31

Harry groaned into Tony's shoulder when his alarm went off, keeping his eyes squeezed shut. "JARVIS, turn it off," Tony growled, lips by Harry's ear.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir. You need to get out of bed," the AI replied, making Tony curse quietly. Harry reluctantly cracked an eye open, squinting in the bright light that filtered through the large window. "Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes is in the living room." Harry was dislodged as Tony sat bolt upright, instantly awake.

"Rhodey's here?" he exclaimed, jumping out of bed and reaching for the jeans he'd left on the floor the night before. Harry sighed; so much for a nice relaxing morning. The day before had been a nightmare — Luke's first day back at school since the press conference — and he'd been looking forward to a calm, lazy morning before having to face the mobs all over again. Still, he dragged himself out of bed, placing his hands on Tony's shoulders.

"Calm down," he murmured, voice husky with sleep, kissing Tony's neck softly.

"You don't understand," Tony insisted, fumbling with his zipper. "I didn't tell Rhodey you're back." Harry's eyebrows rose; they'd been back together five months and Tony had failed to mention it to his best friend?

"Oh, love, he's going to murder you." Tony nodded emphatically, hunting for a t-shirt, and Harry grabbed some clean clothes for himself, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it as he followed Tony out of the bedroom. Rhodey was stood in the living room, leaning against the back of the couch, dressed in civilian clothes, and he folded his arms over his chest when he saw them both.

"I can explain," Tony started, but Rhodey cut him off.

"You can explain? Go on, explain how not only are you back together with Evan — who is actually Harry Potter, what the fuck? — But you've moved him in and are adopting his kid, and you didn't think to maybe _mention_ it to me?" he asked sharply. Tony winced.

"I haven't seen you in months, I haven't had the chance," he attempted hastily. Rhodey snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Tony, you live in a giant super computer," he pointed out flatly. "You could've called, or sent an email. God, man, I'm your _best friend_! How do you think it felt to get the news from the tabloids?"

"Honeybear, I'm sorry," Tony murmured, taking a tentative step forward. "I'll never leave you out of the loop again, but I thought— I thought you wanted space after… everything." Rhodey's frown deepened, and he rolled his eyes, pulling Tony into a hug.

"I did, but I didn't want you to stop talking to me altogether," he muttered, sounding somewhat fond, and Harry smiled; they'd be fine. "For a genius, you can be such an idiot, you know that?" Tony made an offended sound, and Rhodey laughed, shoving playfully at Tony's head.

"I missed you, too, sourpatch," Tony said with a grin, before glancing at his watch. "Wanna meet my kid?" Rhodey spluttered, and Harry smiled, kissing Tony on the cheek as he walked past.

"I'll go get Luke up, he's going to be late for school. It's good to see you again, Rhodey," he added with a smile, heading for Luke's room. When he returned to the living room, Luke sleepy but dressed and walking by his side, it was to find Tony and Rhodey sat at the breakfast bar, both of them drinking coffee and making tentative conversation. Rhodey's eyes went wide when he saw Luke.

"Damn, Tony, he really does look like you," he remarked, making Tony grin.

"Yeah, well, we might have lied to the media a little. Luke really is mine," Tony explained. Harry didn't bat an eyelash; he hadn't expected Tony to keep Luke's parentage a secret from Rhodey. The pilot looked confused, and Harry smiled to himself, summoning the cereal from the cupboard to make a point. "Harry's a wizard. With a womb."

"Less of a womb and more of a sac created by magic, but, yeah. Basically the same thing," Harry reasoned. Rhodey's jaw dropped, and he turned to Tony.

"You got him _pregnant_?" he bit out incredulously, and Tony merely smirked, smug.

"Yup. Six years ago. And then I was an idiot and let him leave. Luke, kiddo, c'mere, I want you to meet someone." Luke obediently shuffled over to Tony, smiling when his papa picked him up and rested him on his knee, kissing his temple. "Good morning, short stuff. This is my very, very best friend in the whole wide world, James Rhodes, but everyone calls him Rhodey. Rhodey, meet Luke, my son. He's almost as smart as I was at his age, it's _awesome_ ," he said proudly, grinning.

"Is he your best friend even more than Aunt Pepper?" Luke asked with wide eyes, and Harry snorted as Rhodey mouthed 'Aunt Pepper?', looking shellshocked.

"Yes, but don't tell Pepper I said so," Tony confided, making Luke grin.

"Hi, Uncle Rhodey," the boy chirped, making Rhodey choke.

"Hey, Luke. So… you're Tony's kid, huh? You like the Iron Man?" he asked, somewhat awkwardly, still trying to process the 'Uncle Rhodey' comment. Luke nodded furiously, smiling.

"It's _so cool_!" he gushed. "And Papa says one day I'll be old enough to have an Iron Man all of my own." Harry's gaze narrowed at Tony, who looked like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Anthony Edward Stark, our son will _not_ set foot in one of those death traps. Ever," he insisted, and Tony reached out to grab Harry's hand, bringing his knuckles to his lips.

"It's not a death trap," he argued gently. "And I meant like, when he's way older. Like, thirty. Come on, he'll probably be able to build his own one by then, and then we can't stop him," he reasoned. Harry didn't look impressed.

"Luke, come on, it's breakfast time and then you have to get to school," he urged, giving Tony a look that told him they would definitely be talking about that later. Rhodey smirked knowingly as Luke scrambled down from Tony's lap, an amused expression on his face.

"Ooh, Tony, you're in for it now," he murmured, smirking.

"Why does no one believe me when I say the Iron Man isn't dangerous? It's only dangerous because of what I do with it!" Tony reasoned.

"Yeah, and if Luke had one, he'd do the same thing you do," Harry pointed out evenly. "You know he would. I can barely cope with you fighting crime on a regular basis; don't encourage him into it as well."

"Yes, dear," Tony agreed, chastised. Harry huffed, rolling his eyes, and Rhodey snickered.

"You two really haven't changed, have you?" he mused, making them both grin at each other. "Oh, God, don't get sappy on me," the Colonel groaned, jokingly covering his eyes.

"You're just jealous of my super hot awesome magical boyfriend," Tony informed him smugly, wrapping a possessive arm around Harry's waist and pulling him close.

"Told you a thousand times, Tony. I don't swing that way." Harry laughed, checking his watch as Luke hopped down from his chair, running to go brush his teeth.

"I assume you're staying here with Rhodey while I take pup to school?" he asked Tony, who shrugged.

"I'll come if you want me to. Are we expecting the press again?" Harry bit his lip, shaking his head.

"I don't think so. The school security said they'd keep them out. But I'll take Happy, just in case. You stay, it's fine." When Luke returned, teeth brushed and shoes on, Harry kissed Tony before escaping the embrace. "Let's get a move on, then, kid. Rhodey, you're staying for dinner." It wasn't a question, and the man blinked.

"Uh, sure, I don't have plans for tonight," he agreed. Luke grinned as he took Harry's hand.

"Will you play video games with me when I get home, Uncle Rhodey?" he asked hopefully, allowing Tony to lift him up for a hug goodbye. Rhodey blinked, then grinned, nodding.

"You're on, kid. Have fun at school," he replied. Tony smiled, kissing Luke's head.

"Have a good day, and good luck with the spelling test today. Love you, buddy." Luke wrapped his arms around Tony's neck, kissing his cheek.

"Love you, Papa." He squirmed down to the floor, following Harry out to the car, where Happy was waiting. Harry smiled at the man, then his eyebrows rose as he spotted a dark red mark just above the man's shirt collar.

"Good night last night?" he asked knowingly, watching Happy blush and scratch at his neck, tugging his collar up further. "I didn't know you were seeing someone; why haven't we met her yet?" He got Luke strapped in, then slipped into the front passenger seat.

"It's still kinda new," Happy replied evasively.

"Well, congratulations, either way. And I promise when we do meet her, I'll try and stop Tony doing a background check." Happy smirked slightly, amused.

"Thanks."

Luke babbled happily for most of the short drive to school, and Harry was relieved when there wasn't a journalist or cameraman in sight as he stepped out of the car. Happy stayed back to wait, and Harry took Luke into the classroom, leaning down to hug the boy before he was off playing with his friends. "Mr Potter, can I talk to you for a second?" He raised an eyebrow at Miss Leyman, who placed a hand on his arm to beckon him over away from the kids.

"Is everything okay with Luke?" he asked, and she smiled.

"Oh, yes, don't worry; he's not in trouble or anything," she assured, making him sigh in relief. "I was actually going to ask if you had any objections to the possibility of skipping him a grade. I understand that he's only with us for another two months, but… this is a crucial time in a child's development, and if he's not getting the proper stimulation he won't reach his full potential. Your son is a very intelligent child, Mr Potter, and he would do much better in First grade at this stage. It wouldn't surprise me if he was moved up to Second very soon after; he really is far beyond his peers." Harry grinned proudly, glancing over at his son.

"Tony and I have discussed this," he admitted. "We figured it was a possibility. Hell, I think Tony's making it his life's mission to get Luke to graduate college even younger than he did," he remarked wryly. "I'll talk it over with him tonight, but I don't see him having a problem with it, and I certainly don't. If Luke's happy to, that is." Miss Leyman nodded, smiling in approval.

"Of course; if we move him, it'll probably be at the beginning of next week, so you have a few days to think it over and discuss it with the rest of your family." Because bless her, she hadn't blinked twice at the fact that Tony was Harry's partner, taking it all in her stride. "We'll be adding Luke to the gifted child register; it's school policy, and will make things easier at his new school for them to accommodate his abilities and possibly skip him up grades in future." Harry nodded in understanding, the smile not leaving his lips. Tony was going to be so proud.

.-.

Rhodey was still there when Harry got home, though the pair had moved to the workshop. They both looked up when Harry nudged the door aside, Tony raising an eyebrow at him. "Well, you look happy. I take it the drop off went okay?" Harry nodded, winding his arm around Tony's waist and kissing him, uncaring of the engine oil that smeared on his shirt in the process.

"They want to move Luke up to First grade," he told his partner. "And think he could probably go straight up to Second soon after. They've put him on the gifted child register, so that Henley will be aware of his abilities when we move." Tony grinned widely, pride shining in his gaze.

"Really? That's awesome! See, Rhodey; my kid's a genius," he bragged, making the older man laugh.

"Never expected anything less," he assured. "Congrats."

"I figured we should talk it over with Luke tonight," Harry told Tony. "But I can't see him arguing; we both know he's getting bored in class as it is. But as far as I'm concerned, the further he can get through his muggle education before he's eleven, the better."

"Then I have five and a half years to teach him how to graduate High School," Tony declared, eyes lighting up at the challenge. Harry laughed, rolling his eyes.

"High School? He has to get through Elementary first," he pointed out. Tony shrugged, unconcerned.

"That's totally doable. He's a Stark, he doesn't need Elementary School."

"What happens when he's eleven?" Rhodey cut in, curious. Harry glanced over at him, having half forgotten the other man was there.

"He'll get his letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in Scotland. I can't let him get away without a magical education, even if he does what I've done and very rarely uses it after he graduates. He needs to learn how to control his magic, and he might end up taking to it more than I did," he explained. Rhodey nodded in understanding, sipping at his coffee.

"Aren't there any magic schools in America?" he questioned. Harry shrugged.

"There are a couple, but his name will already be down on the Hogwarts list, it has been since he was born. I went there, my parents went there, and my father's side of the family have been attending Hogwarts since medieval times. My mum's parents were muggles; they didn't have any magic," he told the man. "If Luke really wants to, he can go to Salem Academy, but considering I can travel from here to England in a split second, coming home at breaks and things won't be a problem for him." Rhodey shook his head, amazed.

"I can't believe magic actually exists," he murmured. Tony raised an eyebrow at him.

"Even after all that trouble with Thor a couple months back?" he pointed out, making Rhodey shrug.

"Yeah but that was like, aliens. You're telling me that wizards and witches have been on our planet since medieval times, right under our noses. That's some crazy shit, man."

"Our secrecy charms are very, very good," Harry pointed out wryly. Rhodey snorted, nodding in agreement.

"Evidently. So, you're making Tony a kept man, huh? Good luck with that." Harry grinned, squeezing Tony's waist.

"About as kept as I can manage, at least. Luke provides the rest of it; he's got Tony wrapped around his little finger," he remarked. Tony merely shrugged, not denying it, and leaned closer into Harry's side.

"He's got you, too, gorgeous. You've just had more experience saying no to him than I have," he pointed out with an impish smile. Rhodey smirked, clearly amused by their banter.

"Do you two need a room?" he asked, and Tony glanced over at him, dropping a kiss on Harry's jaw.

"We have one. You're in it." Harry swatted him in the shoulder, offering an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Rhodey," he sighed, but Rhodey merely laughed.

"No problem; I should've known I'd be dealing with a pair of freaking teenagers again," he teased. Harry flushed, remembering the crap Rhodey had given Tony about dating a nineteen year-old, while Tony just looked smug.

"Speaking of needing rooms, did you know Happy has a girlfriend?" Harry told his lover, whose eyebrows shot up.

"No, I did not. Did he tell you?" he asked, surprised. Harry smirked mischievously.

"He didn't, but the monster hickey on his neck did. Whoever she is, she's possessive," he drawled. Tony grinned wolfishly, and Rhodey laughed, letting out a low whistle.

"Get in there, Happy. When can we meet her?" Tony queried eagerly.

"Don't know," Harry replied with a shrug. "Happy said it's still kinda new, so probably not for a little while yet. And before you ask, no, I didn't get a name." Tony pouted, but kissed Harry's cheek, releasing him in order to get back to whatever he was working on.

"First Pepper, now Happy. What is it with my staff and not telling me about their love lives? Next thing you'll tell me is you're seeing someone, Rhodey," he muttered.

"Well…" Rhodey drawled, causing Tony's head to snap up. "No, no, just messing. Still single," he assured wryly. "But for the record, I'm not your staff."

"Technicalities." Tony waved him off, fiddling with some circuitry as Harry sat on the desk opposite. "I'll let them have their secrets for now, but if I don't get introductions soon, I'm gonna have to get Natasha to spy on them." Harry snorted, giving him a look.

"You really think she'd listen to you?" he pointed out. Tony shrugged, wiping at a smear of oil on his brow.

"Maybe. If I bribed her with shiny, deadly things." Harry shared a look with Rhodey, shaking his head in bemusement. Tony was definitely not famed for his patience.

.-.-.

As asked, Rhodey stayed for dinner, and Luke easily managed to persuade him to play video games with some well placed puppy-eyes and a pleading 'Uncle Rhodey'. Tony observed with a proud look, leaning against the kitchen counter while Harry cooked. "That's my boy," he murmured, watching as Rhodey gave in and took up a controller, and Harry laughed softly.

"Oh, he's going to be such a handful when he's older," he mused. "And now we can combine magic and technology… Hogwarts won't know what hit it." He made a mental note to keep both Luke and Tony very, very far away from the twins' shop.

After dinner, the four of them sat down to watch some TV, Harry watching in fond amusement as Luke slowly drifted off to sleep on Tony's lap. "I think it's bed time for you, mister," he murmured, and Luke let out a whine.

"Go on, kid, you have school in the morning," Tony urged, patting the boy's legs. The black-haired boy sighed, but sat up and hugged Tony tight, kissing him.

"Night, Papa."

"Night, short stuff," Tony replied, kissing his hair quickly. "I'll be here in the morning before you go to school, promise." Luke smiled at that, then shuffled over to hug a surprised Rhodey.

"Night, Uncle Rhodey," he murmured. Rhodey gathered himself enough to wind an arm around the boy's back, returning the hug.

"G'night, kiddo. See you next time," he said with a soft smile. Luke allowed Harry to pick him up after that, carrying him off to bed, and declined the offer of a bedtime story, too tired to even attempt staying awake for three chapters. Harry kissed his forehead and got the nightlight, tucking him in, and left the room, pulling the door to behind him. Wandering back towards the living room, he paused when he heard Tony and Rhodey talking. "You've finally done something right with your life, y'know that?" Rhodey mused, and Tony snorted.

"I thought the whole world peace and clean energy things were pretty good," he defended.

"I meant with your personal life," Rhodey told him, a slight impatience to his tone. "All those years of dicking around and near killing yourself with alcohol, and you've somehow ended up with a damn good man and an adorable kid that love you to the end of the universe and back. You'd better not fuck it up, Tony."

"I won't," Tony insisted, completely serious. "I mean it. I won't do anything to jeopardise what I have with Harry, and please feel free to shoot me if I do. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, Rhodey. I won't lose him if I can help it." Harry smiled, the familiar warmth in his chest growing at Tony's words.

"Damn straight he is," Rhodey agreed. "My God, I still can't believe you actually fathered a child," he added, chuckling. "The media would go nuts if they knew. Is it seriously how it sounds, though?" he asked, curious. "Does Harry actually get pregnant? With the belly and everything?" Harry could practically hear Tony's grin in his next words.

"Oh yeah," the billionaire affirmed. "I've seen pictures. And I'll tell you now, I definitely understand those guys who say their wives are hotter when pregnant. _Damn_. I still can't believe I missed it." Rhodey laughed, and Harry figured it was safe to enter the room, slipping onto the sofa beside Tony.

"What's the joke?" he asked with raised eyebrows, resting his head on Tony's shoulder.

"Just telling Rhodey how sexy you look when pregnant," his lover replied. Harry rolled his eyes, laughing.

"Tony, I look like a whale," he insisted, and Tony smirked.

"Sexy whale."

"Alright, alright, I can see when I've outstayed my welcome," Rhodey cut in playfully, a smile on his face. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone now." He stood, and Tony reached for his hand, tugging him down into a manly half-hug.

"Don't leave it so long next time, okay? Then you won't miss all the important information," he reminded. Rhodey smiled, nodding.

"Sure, I'll see you soon. It's good to see you again, Harry. Take care of him." Harry smiled softly, feeling Tony press a faint kiss to his hair as he settled back down.

"I will, Rhodey. Goodnight." The pilot saw himself out, and Harry let out a quiet sigh, eyes falling half-shut as he relaxed into Tony's side. "Mm, what are your plans for tomorrow?" he asked, smiling when Tony's fingers started carding through his hair.

"Meeting at eleven, working twelve til three, hanging with you and Luke when he gets home from school, meeting at five, home by six, dinner, work for a few hours, sex with you. Sound good?" Tony listed, pulling Harry to lie down with him and tangling their legs together.

"Yeah, especially that last part," Harry murmured, smirking.

"I thought you might approve of that," Tony agreed, sneaking a hand under the back of Harry's shirt. "Y'know, thinking about you pregnant has made me incredibly horny," he remarked casually, making Harry snicker into the older man's neck.

"So long as you wear a condom, I have no objections." Tony smirked, swinging his legs round to stand up with Harry in his arms, the Brit's legs wrapped tight around Tony's waist. "You wouldn't be able to do this if I were pregnant," Harry pointed out, and Tony grinned.

"I'd better make the most of it while I can, then." Harry's arms wound around Tony's neck to balance himself as they stumbled to the bedroom, laughing breathlessly against Tony's lips. Tony almost fell over when Harry reached down with one hand, unzipping Tony's jeans and sliding a hand inside.

"God, bright eyes, you're going to kill me," he declared, bracing his legs as he attempted to get them to the bed. Harry smirked, gripping him through his boxers, drawing a loud moan from his lover. Tony practically fell onto the bed, Harry straddling him, hand still in his jeans.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Harry muttered in frustration, pulling off his own t-shirt and working Tony's jeans off his hips, closing the door with a burst of wandless magic. Tony groaned, grabbing at the denim covering Harry's thighs and glaring, as if willing it to disappear through thought alone. Harry wriggled out of them and his boxers in one go, Tony wasting no time in reaching for the Brit's cock, causing Harry to throw his head back in pleasure, rocking against Tony with a throaty groan. He flipped them over, shedding his t-shirt and smirking when Harry's muscular torso was thrown into stark relief from the light of the Arc Reactor. Finally, Tony struggled out of his boxers and they were both naked, Harry stretched out on the bed. Tony gave a slow smirk, running a finger down Harry's chest.

"I think I know just what I want with you tonight," he declared, reaching towards the lower drawer of the bedside cabinet, tapping in the code quickly and tugging it open. He felt Harry's arousal pulse in his hand in anticipation, and pulled out the two red silk scarves, giving a wistful look to some of the other toys in the drawer. As much as he'd like to, he was wound far too tight; he didn't think he'd last long if they used them. Harry's eyes widened as Tony sat up, scarves in hand, but he didn't protest as his wrists were tied firmly to the bedposts, Tony rocking back on his heels to survey him once he was done, lust obvious in his eyes.

"Tony, don't tease," Harry begged, making the man's smirk widen.

"I've got you right where I want you, gorgeous. And I'm afraid that means I'm calling the shots." He leaned down, lips trailing slowly down Harry's neck and collarbone, teasing at a nipple before moving lower. Harry bucked and squirmed as Tony pointedly avoided the one area he wanted him to touch most, leaving a line of dark love bites down the inside of Harry's left thigh, inhaling the musky scent of sweat and arousal and _Harry_.

"Tony, _please_ ," Harry whined, impatience clear in his tone. "Can't take it. Too close." Tony looked smug at the admittance, loving how he could bring Harry to breaking point without even touching his cock. The Brit's arms were straining against the ties, but Tony's knots held firm. Reaching for lube and a condom from the drawer, Tony took his time, loving watching Harry come undone beneath him. Harry was painfully hard, fingers clenching and unclenching on air as Tony's fingers moved within him, battering his prostate relentlessly. "Fuck, Tony, I can't. Gonna come!" he insisted, teeth gritted. Tony sighed, but removed his fingers, lining himself up and easing in slowly. Harry's eyes practically rolled back in his head in pleasure as Tony inched inside, every nerve ending sparking with pleasure. Tony himself was close, arousal flooding his body at just watching Harry writhe in pleasure, and it only took a few hard thrusts before both of them were coming hard, Harry almost certain he'd blacked out for a few moments.

Tony reached up to tug the ties undone, freeing Harry's arms, and rubbed at the man's shoulders soothingly. "You okay?" he asked, kissing him lazily, and Harry nodded, a breathless smile on his face.

"Fantastic. But oh, God, I am so getting you back for that." Tony laughed, reaching for a cloth to wipe them both down with.

"I look forward to it," he replied honestly; it was no secret in their relationship how much Tony loved it when Harry took charge. It didn't happen often, but it drove the billionaire crazy when it did. Tossing the cloth to the side, Tony shuffled to wind an arm around Harry's waist, bringing him into a proper kiss and massaging his shoulders again, knowing they'd be sore from being tied up.

"I'm fine," Harry insisted softly when they parted, though he leaned into the touch gratefully. Tony smirked, knowing that as much as Harry would insist otherwise, he would be horrendously tensed up in the morning if he just went straight to bed.

Giving up on the massage when his lover's shoulders felt loose under his fingers, Tony pulled Harry to his chest, tangling their legs together. "Don't make any plans for Friday," he murmured. "I've got a surprise for you." Harry frowned curiously, but hummed in agreement, eyes already closed. He'd ask Tony about it in the morning.

.-.-.-.

Tony's surprise turned out to be a quick trip to New York after dropping Luke off at school that morning, to check on Stark Tower. Harry gaped as he saw the huge structure out of the window of the jet on the way in, amazed that Tony was building such an enormous building, and they'd be living almost at the very top of it. They both had to don hard hats upon entry, though most of the heavy construction was finished. Riding the elevator up to their floor, Harry's jaw dropped as they stepped straight out into the main living room. It was _huge_. It was plain white by now, with spaces ready for things like the TV and entertainment system to go in once construction had finished, but Harry could envision it decorated and furnished; Luke running around with his Iron Man toy and jumping around on the sofa; him and Tony curled up watching a movie; cooking dinner in the bloody _amazing_ kitchen off to the left. Tony took him by the hand, leading him towards a corridor branching off the room. "Paint colours are being decided in two weeks, so if you have any suggestions, write them down and I'll pass them onto the decorators," he explained, and Harry nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket to make some notes. He grinned when Tony showed him the room that was obviously Luke's, the hole in the back of the wall leading to a playroom just waiting to be covered by an old-fashioned wardrobe, in addition to the walk-in wardrobe to the left. Some of the electronics had already been installed, including the television system and the projectors for the holo-screen, and Harry imagined it with the superheroes painted on the walls. The playroom, something Tony had been keeping rather secret, was amazing; there was a small climbing frame built into the back wall, with monkey bars and a slide and rope netting, and tons of storage space for toys.

"He's going to be so excited," Harry remarked, making Tony grin.

"I figured when he's older we can take out the wardrobe, maybe put in a door, take out the climbing frame, he can have it as a workspace, or whatever," he suggested, steering Harry out of Luke's room and to the end of the hall, where the workshops were; one for Tony, and one for Tony and Luke to work in together, connected by a glass partition door. They were mostly empty, but Harry didn't doubt they would fill up before long once Tony started moving things over.

Their private living room was a little closer to completion than the main living room, and had the fireplace installed. Harry grinned widely, looking out the huge window that took up one wall, staring out over the city below. "It's beautiful," he murmured, leaning into Tony when he felt the man's hands on his hips.

"I wanted us to have the best view in the tower," the American explained softly. "Only better views are from our bedroom." Harry smiled, tilting his head to kiss Tony's cheek.

"Show me the rest," he urged, making the older man grin.

The tour of the tower was surprisingly quick, considering how large a building it was. Tony only showed Harry around their floor and the few residential floors below it, as well as the public floor at the top of the tower. Since the rest was all Star Industries space, it was hardly relevant. Harry was shocked and awed by each new room he stepped into; even unfinished and undecorated, he could tell they were going to be amazing. "Tony, when are we going to use all these rooms?" he queried in exasperation as Tony showed him to yet another blank room in the residential floor below Pepper and Happy's floor.

"Eventually. Luke can have some pretty awesome sleepover parties when he's older," Tony suggested, making Harry snicker.

"Yeah, and some bloody insane house parties on the top floor when he's a teenager and his parents are away," he remarked dryly. Tony smirked, shrugging.

"Hey, it's all part of being a teenager. And at least with this many rooms to crash in, we don't have to worry about his friends trying to get home drunk," he pointed out. Harry conceded the point, then grinned.

"I can't believe we're talking about Luke being a teenager. He's not even six years old yet!" Tony chuckled, arm sneaking around Harry's waist.

"It's great, isn't it?" he murmured happily. "Sometimes I just sit and wonder what he'll be like when he's older, whether he'll be into sport or music or art or science, whether he'll like girls or guys or both, if he'll look more like you or stay looking like me… It hasn't quite hit me yet that I'm going to get to be there to find out." Harry smiled, eyes softening, and he leaned up to give Tony a kiss.

"You'd better be there to find out," he muttered playfully. "No risking your life in the Iron Man, alright? I need you to be there with me when Luke's older. He'll be far too clever for me to handle alone."

"I'll be there, I promise," Tony insisted, though they both knew it wasn't a promise he could keep. "There's nothing I want more than to watch our son grow up. Maybe with a little brother or sister a while down the line?" Harry froze briefly, looking Tony in the eye.

"Really?" he asked, trying to hide the hope in his tone. "Because you keep saying things, but I'm never sure if you're serious about it."

"I'm dead serious, bright eyes," Tony insisted. "I want another kid with you, at least. I never thought I'd enjoy being a dad, but… I do. So much. And I know you, you want at least one more," he added with a knowing smirk. "But it can all wait until we're more set up here, and Luke's settled in school, hmm?" Harry nodded, kissing Tony once more.

"Definitely. And you're a brilliant dad, Tony; you'll be great with another kid. Though God help us if we have a daughter; she'll never be able to get a date with Iron Man for a father," he remarked dryly. Tony outright laughed, shaking his head.

"I won't be that bad," he protested. "I'll let her have boyfriends. Or girlfriends. They just have to be brave enough to meet me without wetting their pants." Harry snickered, rolling his eyes.

"Come on," he urged, tugging on Tony's hand. "Show me the rest of the floor. And maybe we can set aside one room for a nursery." Tony smiled to himself, not telling Harry that he already had that covered. Maybe it was a little optimistic, but… he was capable of planning ahead, sometimes.


	32. Chapter 32

They didn't rush back to Malibu, having had a call from Pepper assuring that she'd picked up Luke from school and fed him, and arrived back home around seven thirty, Happy picking them up at the airport to drive them back. Tony teased the driver about his new girlfriend, but seemed to realise that he wasn't going to get any information out of him, as he gave up quickly. Wandering up to the living room, Harry easily caught Luke out of the air as he jumped at him almost as soon as he reached the top of the stairs, carrying the small boy over his shoulder with ease. "Pepper, we're home!" Tony called, looking around expectantly.

"Good, I was getting bored." Harry raised an eyebrow at the now familiar voice, spotting Coulson sat quite comfortably in the armchair. "Pepper's in the office upstairs."

"She left _you_ with the kid?" Tony asked, aghast. "I'll need to have a word with that woman."

"Agent Phil and Mr Hawkeye were playing catch with me!" Luke chirped brightly, and Tony stopped in his tracks, an unimpressed expression on his face.

"Alright, Barton. Wherever you are, front and centre," he requested evenly. Harry jumped as the man dropped from seemingly nowhere, an amused smirk at his lips.

"Damn it, kid, you gave the game away!" he exclaimed, shaking his head at Luke. "I was supposed to be hiding!" Luke frowned apologetically, climbing down off Harry's back.

"Sorry." Clint grinned, tossing a sponge baseball at the five year-old.

"No worries, kid. But next time, hush up, yeah?" Luke nodded, and Tony groaned.

"Stop corrupting my child," he scolded, making Clint's grin widen. "Why are you two here? I assume it wasn't just to play catch with Luke; usually I have his friends call before making a playdate." Coulson flushed, but Clint merely continued grinning, rocking on his heels.

"He has news," he explained. "I was bored." Harry snorted, heading over to the kitchen for an apple.

"News?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow, already walking towards the stairs to go to the workshop. "I'm all ears for the thirty seconds it takes for me to find something else more interesting than you."

"We've moved the Tesseract to a secure location ready to research," Coulson informed him, cutting straight to the chase. Tony stopped walking, turning back around to face them.

"Oh, really? Don't suppose I can go take a look?" he asked, not surprised when Coulson shook his head.

"Afraid it's authorised personnel only, and you haven't been approved yet. But I can tell you that I'll send you the basics of the research tonight, Fury wants an opinion, and for you to check your dad's notes, see if he came up with anything. Also, we're also tracking Banner a lot more closely than we were before. A few… other parties… have been a little too interested in his movements for our liking; we're keeping them off his tail the best we can. Fury is considering approaching him soon," he reported, and Harry grinned when Tony gained an eager expression.

"Banner? Dr Bruce Banner? Oh, Coulson, you _have_ to let me meet him when you guys finally bring him in. That guy is like, a legend. His brain is beautiful. I want to have sex with it. No offence, gorgeous," he added to Harry, making Clint snicker.

"So long as that doesn't extend to the rest of him, I think we'll be fine," Harry assured in amusement.

"I think you meeting Banner can be arranged," Coulson agreed, and Tony lit up like a child at Christmas.

"Y'know, Coulson, maybe you're not so bad," he mused. "However; you, Barton, are still annoying. Even if Luke does like you."

"Hey! I give you an excuse to make exploding projectiles again!" Clint argued, indignant.

"That is true," Tony conceded, nodding slowly. "However, your habit of roosting in my house is irritating."

"Have you two eaten?" Harry cut in with raised eyebrows, eyeing the two SHIELD agents. "Because Tony and I haven't, and I'm very, very tempted to order in Chinese."

"I'm afraid we have to get going," Coulson replied somewhat apologetically.

"Aww, but free food!" Clint whined, eyes clearly on the other agent's ass as he walked towards the stairs. Harry stifled a snicker; the UST between the two really was as obvious as Tony said it was. He was amazed that the two had worked together for what he understood was nearly eight years, and nothing had happened. He would've gone insane before then.

"Maybe next time," Coulson placated, as if talking to a small child. "See you later, Stark, Harry."

"Bye Agent Phil!" Luke called from the sofa, where he was watching cartoons on Tony's tablet. "Bye Mr Hawkeye! Thank you for playing with me!" Hawkeye grinned, waving at the black-haired boy.

"See you next time, kid. Remember, aim straight and throw hard," he instructed. Luke saluted him, and Harry laughed, giving Clint an amused look as he passed. "Later, Harry," he added with a nod.

"Have a nice evening, Clint," Harry replied with a smile and a pointed glance towards Coulson's back, making the archer blush faintly. Harry really did kind-of like him; Natasha still scared the crap out of him a little bit, but Clint was a nice enough guy when he wasn't in super-intense-SHIELD-agent mode. And he turned into a teddy bear whenever Luke was around.

When the two agents were gone, Tony jogged upstairs to go hunt down Pepper and drag her away from her paperwork. Harry sat down next to Luke, pulling the boy into his side and flicking his fingers across the tablet screen, starting up the channel on the main TV. Luke grinned, his head on Harry's stomach. "How was New York?" he asked, and Harry smiled.

"Great. The tower looks amazing already; you're going to love your room so much," he assured excitedly. He was looking forward to seeing Luke's face the first time he stepped foot in their floor; he hadn't seen any of the blueprints, design plans or progress photos, so the whole thing would be a complete surprise. "And there's plenty of room for you to explore without even having to touch the R&D floors, too," he added, knowing Luke would probably have a lot of fun wandering aimlessly through the many residential floors, under the observant eye of JARVIS. "You looking forward to it?" Luke nodded eagerly. "Even changing schools?" Luke was flourishing in First grade, and didn't seem that bothered by the change.

"School is kinda boring here," the boy admitted. "The one in New York looks way cooler."

"You're still bored, pup?" Harry asked, concerned. Luke nodded, biting his lip.

"The work's still really easy. I finish really quickly and then I have nothing to do," he explained. Harry glanced up when he heard footsteps, seeing Tony and Pepper descending the stairs, talking quietly.

"Well just keep going for now, cub. Then we'll see how you do at your new school, and if after a week or two you're still bored, we'll see if you can move up to Second grade, yeah?" Harry suggested, stroking Luke's hair. The boy pouted, shaking his head.

"Can't I just stay home until we move? I learn more with Papa than I do at school," he pleaded.

"What's this about?" Tony queried, catching the tail end of the conversation as he and Pepper approached.

"Luke's still bored at school," Harry relayed. "I told him to wait until he gets to his new school before making the decision to move him up to Second grade." Henley was a very high-end Prep school, full of kids of rich people and celebrities, and had a very demanding curriculum even for the younger kids. Harry didn't want Luke to be moved up, only to struggle when he got to Henley.

"I learn more with you," Luke repeated, turning hopeful eyes on Tony. "Can't I stay home?" Tony sighed, rubbing at his goatee.

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but I'm not home all the time; I have to go to meetings and work on Stark Industries stuff, and then what would you do?" he pointed out.

"Stay with Dad," Luke replied easily, making Harry snort.

"Kiddo, I have stuff to do too. You wouldn't like to stay with me; I spend most of my time working in the downstairs office, you'd get bored," he reasoned gently. Luke frowned, disgruntled.

"I'll tell you what, little man," Tony started, leaning on the back of the sofa to look at Luke properly. "You keep going to school for me, and I'll see if the contractors can finish our part of the tower extra-fast so we can move in early, huh? Then you can wait until after Christmas break to go back, and I'll teach you as much as I can during then, okay?" Tony would, hopefully, be home more after the move; more of his business partners and clients were based in New York, which would cut out the travelling time involved in meeting with them.

"Can they do that?" Harry asked sceptically, and Tony grinned.

"If I tell them to," he replied smugly. "I'll just ask them to ease up on the little things on other levels — painting, furnishing, all the aesthetics — so they can do ours in half the time."

"So we can move in next month instead of the month after?" Luke queried. Tony nodded, and the boy's face lit up. "Yes please!"

"I'll call the contractors, let them know the schedule has changed," Pepper promised, pulling her phone from her pocket as she moved away to get some quiet to make the call. Tony hopped over the back of the sofa, landing beside Harry with a smile.

"Now, with that sorted, I believe you, gorgeous, mentioned Chinese food, and you, short stuff, need to go to bed!" he announced, reaching over Harry to poke Luke's stomach, making him giggle.

"Your usual?" Harry presumed, and Tony nodded, getting back up to his feet.

"Yes please; I'll get Luke to bed. Say goodnight to Dad, kiddo." Luke leaned up to hug Harry, and Harry kissed his forehead.

"G'night, love. See you in the morning."

"Night, Dad," Luke replied, laughing when Tony grabbed him around the waist, hauling him up in an effortless fireman's lift, carrying him away to his bedroom. Harry watched them both with a fond smile; he'd never get over how amazing Tony was with their son. He pulled out his phone, finding the Chinese place in his contacts list, and called up to order, glancing over at Pepper as she talked to the contractors. They both finished up on the phone at about the same time, and Harry looked at her expectantly.

"Any luck?" he asked, and she smiled.

"You should be good to move in the first week in October," she confirmed, making his eyes widen; that was a little under a month away!

"Bloody hell, they'll have to move fast! But I suppose Tony's paying them enough, it's doable," he reasoned; how hard could it be with the huge team Tony had hired? "Are you staying for Chinese? I ordered enough for more than two people." If Pepper didn't want any, he'd put it in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.

"No, I'd better go; it's date night," she explained, smiling. Harry smirked knowingly, nodding in acceptance.

"Then have fun, and I'll see you tomorrow," he replied, getting up to hug her goodbye.

"Tell Tony goodnight from me," she requested. "See you tomorrow." Pepper left, and Harry relaxed into the sofa, smiling when Tony returned.

"Pepper left for her date?" he presumed, and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, just now, she says goodnight. Luke go down okay?" Tony smiled, humming in affirmation as he sunk down beside Harry, rolling his shoulders to give several loud clicks.

"Yeah, out like a light after a chapter and a half. Food on its way?" Harry nodded once more, leaning in for a kiss.

"The contractors say first week in October, we should be good to make the move. That'll cheer Luke up, I think," he told his lover, who grinned in satisfaction.

"I knew they could shave a month off the time; they can finish off the other floors while we're living there; they just need to do the bottom floor, our floor, and Pep and Happy's floor. A month is plenty of time for that," he pointed out.

"Sounds good to me. Speaking of, should I go ask Happy if he wants Chinese? I ordered enough for three in case Pepper stayed, might as well offer it to him," Harry reasoned. Tony shrugged, letting Harry get up. Harry went right down to the floor below the garage, where Happy had his apartment, knocking on the door before nudging it open when there was no immediate answer. He instantly wished he hadn't. Happy was sat on his sofa, but he definitely wasn't alone; sat on his lap, her lips pressed furiously against his, was a very familiar redhead. "Pepper!" Harry exclaimed incredulously, causing the couple to spring apart, wide-eyed.

"Harry!" Pepper squeaked, scrambling off Happy's lap. "I can explain."

"You two are dating each other?" Harry said, stunned. "Since when?" Happy had been Pepper's 'mystery guy' all along? And Pepper had been Happy's secret girlfriend?

"About a month after Tony's birthday," Pepper answered, the unspoken 'after his meltdown' hanging in the air. "Happy helped me through a lot when Tony was being self-destructive, and when everything was okay again… we decided to give things a try. We didn't want to tell Tony in case it didn't work out; we didn't want him to have to pick sides."

"A month after… Pepper, Tony's birthday was in January! You've been together for like, seven months now!" Harry pointed out. "Surely that's long enough to start telling people."

"With everything that's been going on lately, with you and Luke and the tower… it's been hard to find the right time," Pepper reasoned with a sigh. Harry raised an eyebrow at her; that was hardly a good enough reason.

"Well, I came down to ask if Happy wanted to join us for Chinese, but I assume you two have your own dinner plans," he replied wryly, watching them both blush. "I can't not tell Tony about this," he added, and they both nodded, having expected it. "He's going to be hurt you guys kept it from him for so long, but I'll try and keep him upstairs for tonight. He can interrogate and threaten you both tomorrow." Happy gulped visibly, and Harry smirked. "I'll see you both in the morning. And Happy, for the record? Break her heart, I break every bone in your body. Twice."

"Yes, sir," Happy responded instantly, even as Pepper glared at the Brit. Harry merely smirked, nodding in satisfaction.

"Goodnight." Shutting the door behind him, Harry shook his head to himself, heading back upstairs. "Pepper's boyfriend is Happy," he said to Tony, who smirked.

"With Pepper in that dress? Of course he is," the older man replied with a leer, and Harry rolled his eyes impatiently.

"No, Happy. Our Happy. Pepper's dating Happy Hogan," he explained, watching Tony's jaw drop.

"What? How? When? How did you find out?" he spluttered, shocked.

"Since February, apparently. I found out because they were necking on Happy's sofa when I walked in," Harry answered wryly. "According to Pepper, they grew a lot closer while you were off having your meltdown, but they didn't want to tell you in case they split as they didn't want you to have to choose who to stick with. I said I'd give them their date night and you could interrogate them in the morning. They didn't keep it from you to hurt you," he added softly, rubbing Tony's shoulder gently. Tony looked shellshocked, like someone had just told him Captain America wasn't real.

"Why do they think I'd pick sides? I'm capable of sticking with both of them," he murmured, and Harry nodded in agreement. "I… they've been dating for seven months and they didn't tell me?" Harry kissed his jaw, frowning apologetically.

"I'm sorry, love. There was probably a better way for you to find out." Tony stared into space for several long moments, then shook his head, wiping the somewhat lost look from his face and replacing it with a rather forced smile.

"We can get back to that in the morning," he insisted. "The food will be here soon." Harry sighed, but let it go, lips pressing briefly to Tony's. It had to hurt, knowing two people you considered close friends had been dating behind your back for over half a year.

.-.

Harry was up before Tony the next morning, and wasn't surprised to see Pepper in the kitchen when he went to go make breakfast. "How is he?" she asked plainly, cutting to the chase. Harry shot her a look, reaching for the bacon in the fridge.

"Hurt," he replied, not wanting to sugar-coat things. "Upset. Hiding it well. You need to talk to him, Pepper." She sighed, leaning her head in her hand.

"I know," she murmured. "Happy does too. God, I didn't mean for it to end up like this. We were going to tell him months ago, once he started getting back on track, but… then he found you again, and things sort-of got forgotten about."

"It's not me you need to make excuses to," Harry pointed out.

"We know." He looked up, seeing Happy making his way up the staircase. "We need to talk to Tony."

"Yeah, well, I'm awake now, say your piece," Tony's voice cut in as the man entered from the hallway, an unhappy look on his face.

"Tony…" Pepper started, voice faltering. Tony leant against the counter beside Harry, arms folded defensively over his chest, and Harry pressed their shoulders together briefly.

"We should've told you sooner," Happy said flatly. "And we didn't, and we're sorry. But there really isn't anything we can do; we can't change the past."

"I'm more interested in _why_ you didn't tell me," Tony replied, meeting his bodyguard's eyes unflinchingly.

"Tony, you were self-destructive when we got together! We had no idea what would throw you off the deep end, we didn't want you to get any worse!" Pepper protested, and Tony turned his steel gaze on her.

"You didn't want me to get worse?" he repeated, scoffing. "Pep, did it ever occur to you that I would've been _happy_ for you? You two and Rhodey were the closest thing I had to family, I would've been over the moon to know that even though I was dying, you two were happy together. You don't think I would've preferred to know that than worry about how you'd cope once I died?"

"We didn't know you were dying!" Happy argued, making Tony snort.

"Like you couldn't have made an educated guess from my behaviour," he retorted. "I don't want your excuses. I get it; I wouldn't trust me either. But next time, maybe think that your goddamn happiness actually means something to me." He tugged at his hair, turning to kiss Harry's cheek. "Bring my breakfast down to the shop?" he requested softly. Harry nodded, squeezing Tony's hand briefly.

"Sure thing, love." Tony slipped out of the kitchen without another word, and Pepper bit her lip, looking like she might actually cry.

"We messed up, didn't we?" she murmured, glancing at Happy, who put an arm around her.

"He'll forgive you. He's Tony, he'll always forgive you. I think you just take that for granted sometimes," Harry pointed out, slathering ketchup over the bacon he'd laid on bread. Setting both sandwiches on separate plates, he picked them up and gave the couple a look. "Just give him a little space, okay? I'll talk to him."

Taking the sandwiches, he padded barefoot down to Tony's workshop, tapping in his access code. Black Sabbath was blaring from the speakers, and Tony was elbow-deep in something complicated looking. He glanced up when Harry entered, and asked JARVIS to turn the music down. "They really feel terrible, y'know. I know it doesn't really excuse them, but… they feel really bad about everything."

"Like I said, I get it," Tony replied nonchalantly, taking the proffered bacon sandwich. "They didn't want me sticking my nose in their relationship. It's cool; I probably would've caused them to crash and burn by now anyway."

"Don't do that, Tony. Not now. The self-deprecating bullshit won't work on me, you know it won't," Harry told him frankly, resting a hand on the back of Tony's neck. Tony sighed, leaning back into the touch.

"I can understand them not telling me just after my meltdown," he said honestly. "But there was a good month and a half between that and finding you again in which they could've told me. Why didn't they?"

"I don't know, sweetheart," Harry murmured, propping his cheek on the top of Tony's head. "But they obviously regret it. I'm not saying forgive them straight away, but… don't shut them out. You love Pep and Happy, we all know that. We're moving in a few weeks, you don't want to be on bad terms with them for that." Tony twisted, bringing Harry's lips down to his.

"I've already forgiven them," he admitted, a slightly wry smile on his face. "I just need a little time to sulk about it." Harry snorted, kissing Tony softly. That didn't surprise him; even now, Tony loathed upsetting the people close to him, convinced it would be the last straw and they'd walk away. Harry was working on convincing him otherwise.

"They didn't do it to hurt you."

"People do a lot of things that they don't intend to hurt people," Tony replied. "Doesn't mean it works out that way." Sighing, Harry shuffled to sit on the floor beside Tony, their plates in their laps, and smiled when Tony leant against his shoulder. "We move in three weeks," the older man declared. "New house, new start. But don't blame me for being a little sore beforehand." Harry twined their fingers together, squeezing briefly.

"Trust me, sweetheart, I'm the last person to blame you for that," he replied, taking a bite of his sandwich. "Now eat your breakfast before it goes cold." Tony snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, Mom."

.-.-.

On the morning of October 5th, Luke practically flew into his parents' bedroom, diving onto the bed and jumping on the end, beaming. "Moving day, moving day!" he shouted excitedly, bouncing on the bed as his fathers woke with twin groans.

"Pup, inside voice," Harry requested, reluctantly opening his eyes.

"Jesus, kid, what time is it?" Tony mumbled, burying his face in Harry's neck. Harry twisted to look at the clock, groaning once more.

"Luke, bloody hell, it's six in the morning." Luke stopped bouncing, looking apologetic.

"But it's moving day," he whined, making Tony chuckle.

"Sure is, short stuff. Why don't you go put some cartoons on; we'll be in for breakfast in ten," he promised. Luke nodded, scrambling off the bed and slipping out of the room. Harry laughed, smiling against Tony's hair.

"I think he's excited," he remarked wryly.

"Just a little," Tony agreed. "How long d'you think we have before he gets hungry and comes back?" Harry rolled his eyes as Tony went dead-weight on him once more, poking the older man's shoulder.

"We promised ten minutes, so we probably have five at the most. Come on, mister, up you get. We're losing three hours today, an early morning will do you good," he urged, running a hand down Tony's back before sitting up, smiling at his lover's whine of loss. "We can shower after Luke's been fed; I'll make it worth your while," he murmured, hand drifting lower to squeeze Tony's ass lightly. The billionaire groaned, though it was one of lust.

"You know just how to push my buttons," he accused happily, rolling onto his back and sitting up. Harry tugged him out of bed, bringing their lips together. Not bothering to dress, the two wandered out in their boxers, seeing Luke sprawled on the sofa watching Spongebob, using his toy penguin as a pillow. Everything but the essentials had already been packed up and sent over by Tony's moving guys, and the house was looking incredibly bare. Tony hadn't realised how accustomed he'd gotten to seeing toys strewn about the house and kid-sized shoes and socks abandoned all over the place until they weren't there anymore.

Harry went straight to the kitchen, pouring Luke some cereal and retrieving coffee from the machine, passing a mug to Tony as he approached. Luke dashed over to get his breakfast, taking it back to the sofa with him, and Harry smirked when Tony practically drained his mug in one long gulp. "Shower now?" he asked hopefully, turning darkened brown eyes on his younger lover.

"Shower now," Harry agreed softly, finishing off his glass of water. "Luke, pup, we're gonna go shower and get dressed, okay? Brush your teeth after breakfast and pack the last of your things in the suitcase," he called, Tony's hand slipping into his as they restrained themselves from running to the bathroom. Luke called a vague affirmation, but the two older men barely heard him, grinning to each other as soon as they reached the bedroom, Tony pulling Harry close as they stumbled towards the bathroom. They had many wonderful memories in that shower, and it deserved a proper send-off.

.-.-.

Tony carried Luke on his shoulders as they entered Stark Tower, not wanting him to run off at the first sign of something shiny. Harry let out a low whistle as they stepped into the sleek new lobby, the 'public' floor. Tony was definitely trying to impress with that. "Wow," the five year-old breathed, wide-eyed as he looked around. "What happens on this floor?"

"Meetings, conferences, office work. Boring stuff," Tony assured him, heading straight for the elevator. "Now remember, we're floor number 85, okay? So if you're ever here on your own and you want to get back home, just press the button that says 85 on it." He pointed out the button to Luke, who nodded, committing the information to memory. Tony had made sure to put all the buttons Luke was likely to press low enough for him to reach them, while the buttons for the more dangerous R&D floors were right up the top, where he was too short to reach. Tony pushed the button, and the doors closed, the elevator shooting up. Harry watched Luke giggle at the movement, leaning against the railing on the wall. Eventually they reached their floor, and Tony let Luke back down, confident he'd be safe when limited to their floor only.

"Bloody hell," Harry murmured in astonishment as he got his first glimpse of their living room all decorated and complete. It was painted in light greys and dark blues, sleek and clean like everything Tony designed, though the dark blue leather sofa was practically a bed, and the rug looked comfortable enough to sleep on.

"What do you think?" Tony asked, sounding proud. Luke didn't stay by their sides for long, racing over to dive onto the sofa.

" _So cool_ ," he declared, staring up at the ceiling. He jumped up suddenly, sprinting over to press his nose to the large glass window overlooking the city. "Wow! We're so high up!"

"Where do you wanna go first, kid? Or should we just let you run free for a little while?" Tony remarked in amusement. Luke shrugged, tearing himself away from the window and back to tug on Tony's hand, dragging him towards the corridor.

"Show me my room!" he pleaded, and Harry grinned. He had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing Luke's room, too.

"You're the boss," Tony agreed, directing the boy to his new bedroom. Harry's smile widened when his son's jaw dropped upon entering. Then he saw the room himself, and his eyes went wide. Tony had truly outdone himself; there was just about every superhero imaginable painted on Luke's wall, all in action poses dotted around the painted city. Iron Man was, of course, in the centre, with Captain America flanking him as they headed for their imaginary battle. He even spotted Black Widow and Hawkeye in the mix, and wondered what Clint and Natasha would say if they saw it.

Luke was happily rooting around his new toy box, and Tony gave Harry a secretive smirk, stepping towards the fake wardrobe. "Kiddo, come here a sec, I wanna show you something." Luke obeyed, and he gasped audibly when Tony swung the door open, revealing the playroom on the other side.

"It's like Narnia!" he breathed, stunned. "Papa, it's like Narnia!"

"A little less snow, but pretty much," Tony agreed, ruffling Luke's hair. "You like it?"

"Yeah!" Luke exclaimed, launching himself at Tony in a hug. "Thank you, Papa!" Tony smiled, kissing Luke's temple briefly.

"You're welcome, short stuff. I'm gonna go show your dad around the rest of the floor, you wanna come with or are you gonna hang here for a while?" he asked, already knowing the answer when Luke stared longingly into the playroom.

"Hang here," the black-haired boy decided. Tony nodded, setting him down and patting his head.

"Knock yourself out, kid. You need anything, just ask JARVIS. There's some pretty cool tech in here he can explain to you, too," he added, making Luke cock his head curiously.

"JARVIS is here too?" he queried.

"Indeed I am, Master Lucas," JARVIS replied, and Luke grinned.

"Yay, JARVIS came too!" he chirped happily. "I'm gonna go play now." Harry snickered as Luke dove through the wardrobe into the playroom, the doors shutting behind him.

"Well, that went down well," he remarked, amused. Tony walked back over to him, smug.

"I knew it would." He slipped a hand into Harry's back pocket, squeezing his ass. "Wanna go see our bedroom? I think the little guy's gonna be occupied for quite a while now." Harry smirked, not needing any more persuasion.

"Sounds like a plan. Show me what you've thought up, then, Stark; and I swear, if there's a sex swing, I'm never speaking to you again." Tony laughed, urging him out of their son's room.

"No promises, green eyes."

.-.-.

There wasn't a sex swing, thankfully, though Tony had prepared for just about every other sexual escapade he could think of. The bed frame had been made specially by him in impossibly strong metal, with discreet areas at the head and foot perfect for attaching cuffs or ties. The bottom drawer of the nightstand was voice-protected in case Luke got curious, and Harry was impressed at Tony's foresight. After well and truly christening their new bed, Harry leaned on Tony's chest and looked around the room, smiling to himself. "This is perfect," he murmured. Their bedroom was decorated in dark reds and muted golds — the best compromise Harry had gotten out of Tony on the colours — and the TV took up almost the entire wall opposite the bed. Harry couldn't wait for the opportunity to watch movies curled up around Tony in bed.

"I'm glad you like it. We should probably unpack," Tony added, fingers absently stroking Harry's arm. Harry groaned, shaking his head, but knew the older man was right. The peace was broken when Tony's phone bleeped, and Harry shifted to allow Tony to reach over and get it. "Pepper and Happy are here," he declared after reading the text. "They're in their rooms unpacking." Pepper had gone to spend time with her brother's family and introduce them to Happy, and so had taken an earlier flight than them on one of the Stark Industries company jets. Things still weren't quite back to normal between her, Tony and Happy, but it was almost there, and Harry knew it was more the couple walking on eggshells than Tony, who was ready to move on from the whole thing.

"Then we should definitely unpack," Harry decided, reluctantly sitting up and reaching for his shirt. Tony whined as his torso was covered by fabric, dropping a kiss on Harry's neck.

"Let's go get the boxes in, then."

.-.

With their stuff mostly unpacked, Pepper and Happy unpacking their own things downstairs, and Luke happily exploring his new room, Harry finally took the opportunity to relax, collapsing on the luxurious sofa in their private living room. "What do you think?" Tony asked, dropping down beside him, and Harry grinned.

"It's brilliant," he insisted, leaning into the older man. "I love it. The views are amazing." Tony nodded, glancing over at the large windows.

"Best views in the city," he agreed proudly. "I'm glad you like it. I'd say we've got about two days to enjoy it before people start realising I've moved in and come harass me." Harry snickered, head on Tony's shoulder.

"We'd better make the most of it, then," he replied. "Especially once Luke gets over the hype and starts wanting to learn things in your workshop. You did promise him." Luke was very excited at the prospect of hanging out with Tony instead of going to school until early January, and Harry was well aware that Tony was hoping to get him up to speed on everything electronic and mechanical while he had the chance, knowing that as soon as Luke turned eleven, he'd only have summers and holidays.

"It'll be awesome," Tony declared with a nod. "Kid's good with tools. Genius definitely runs in the family." Harry smiled, seeing no reason to argue; Tony was a genius, and Howard before him, and from what he'd heard, Howard's father was pretty damn smart too.

"So he's got a future with Stark Industries, then?" Harry asked, only half-teasing.

"Gorgeous, he'll be running the place before he's twenty-one," Tony replied frankly, pride in his voice.

"Sirs, Master Lucas would like to know if it's dinner time yet," JARVIS cut in, making Harry snigger.

"Suppose we'd better go feed the bratling, then," he mused, pulling Tony up with him as he stood. "JARVIS, get Pepper and Happy, tell them it's dinner time." They'd promised to have 'family dinners' in Harry and Tony's rooms as often as they could, except for obviously when either couple wanted a more romantic dinner. Harry glance out of the large window one last time, then followed Tony out of the room. He'd have plenty of time to look at the view in future.


	33. Chapter 33

Stark Tower, despite its size and unfamiliar location and the fact that it doubled as Stark Industries headquarters, seemed to be more of a home to the small family than anywhere else. They had only been there for two weeks, but to Harry it was almost as comfortable as Grimmauld to him. That was, perhaps, because Remus had visited in the second week, assuring Harry that he wasn't too lonely back in England, and that he was doing plenty to keep himself occupied. Harry was still offering to move the man in with them, even going so far as to show Remus the suite Tony had designed specifically with him in mind, containing a werewolf-proof room large enough for him to run in. Remus had been touched, but still insisted he was fine.

While Luke had yet to start at his new school, he was perfectly occupied with helping Tony in their new workshop, setting up many of the things they'd moved over from Malibu. A lot of the time when Harry went in there it was to find Luke watching as Tony made repairs on the Iron Man, explaining everything aloud and in simple terms for his son, but equally often they were working on something together. It had become somewhat of a game for Harry, to try and stand and watch them for as long as possible before he was noticed. Tony looked so happy when he and Luke were working together, the wizard could never bring himself to interrupt.

The sun was long set, but New York was just as bright without it, and Harry smiled to himself as he watched Tony soaring over the city, distinct camera flashes from below showing that the citizens of New York definitely appreciated the superhero's move there. As anticipated, they hadn't been able to keep the move quiet for long. Not after Harry was caught grocery shopping with Luke and Remus halfway through the second week. The papers declaring that Remus was his secret lover were entertaining, at least.

"Bring it in, Tony, come on. You promised a night in," he murmured into the headset that connected him to the earpiece in Tony's suit.

"Okay, just a second." Doing an unnecessary — yet impressive looking — twist in mid-air, Tony turned back towards the tower, slowing to land effortlessly on his feet on the protruding platform. JARVIS immediately got to work, the seamless mechanism emerging to start stripping the suit. It was the main reason Tony had gone out, other than just to stretch his wings, so to speak; the suit-removing system needed testing, and Harry had pointed out it was best to do so before something happened for him to need it, in case it didn't work. Tony was smirking as he walked, the suit falling away easily piece by piece, and Harry walked out to meet him when he was finished, pulling him into a brief kiss. "Told you it would work fine," Tony remarked playfully, making him laugh.

"Forgive me for wanting to be sure. The last thing I want is JARVIS calling me up here because you've gotten something important caught between two panels of the suit," Harry teased in reply, the hand brushing over the front of Tony's jeans showing exactly what he considered 'important'. Tony snorted, sliding an arm around the Brit's waist as his eyes darkened in lust.

"I don't know whether to be offended that you'd doubt my bots, or flattered that you think it's big enough to get trapped in something," he joked quietly, urging Harry back inside. The floor they were on was technically 'partytown', neither of them having wanted a way for Luke to get on the balcony, so they made for the private elevator down to their own suite. Luke was in bed, sleeping peacefully, and for the first time since moving in neither of them had any urgent work to do. Pepper and Happy were out on a date, so they were both quite happily looking forward to a night in.

As soon as the pair of them arrived in their private living room, the fire in the grate jumped to life and quiet music began to play in the background, making Harry smile. People could claim all they liked that JARVIS was just a computer, but he had a personality to rival any living person's, and clearly he was just as sick of the little amount of time alone the pair of them had had recently. Or, more accurately, sick of dealing with Tony's frustration over it. Accepting the glass of champagne his lover pressed into his hand, Harry followed curiously to peer over his shoulder as Tony brought up a programme on the coffee table. "What's that?" he asked curiously, chin on Tony's shoulder. The genius grinned, tapping the glass to bring up a scale diagram of the tower, blue light cycling through it smoothly.

"The Arc Reactor," he explained, pride clear in his voice as he knocked his champagne flute against Harry's. The Brit brought his to his lips, but didn't drink. "All up and running, working perfectly. We are officially the most efficient source of self-sustaining clean energy in the entire world."

"Congratulations," Harry replied with a grin, kissing his temple. "How long before the press are jumping down our throats about it?" Tony groaned, letting the diagram disappear into the glass as he turned to pull Harry into his arms.

"Hopefully a week. Probably three days, at best." Sighing, Harry leaned into the embrace, wishing they could hide from the world a little longer. "Come on, we have better things to think about. Like the fact that we have yet to have sex on this couch." Harry sniggered, a grin on his face as he allowed Tony to tug him towards the sofa, settling with the younger man tucked into his side. Harry set his still-full champagne glass on the floor out of the way, and Tony drained his own, leaning down to kiss him while the bubbles were still on his tongue.

"At least once we get the whole news fiasco over with, we'll be able to take Luke out in the city more often," Harry mused, his muscles steadily turning to goo as Tony's fingers ran through his hair.

"Pfft, outside is overrated," Tony retorted. "He could find a new room in this building every day and still not have seen half of it by his sixth birthday." Chuckling, Harry let his fingers sneak beneath Tony's t-shirt, feeling the flesh jump at his touch.

"Sirs," JARVIS interrupted, sounding faintly disgruntled. "Agent Coulson is requesting entry."

"Request denied," Tony declared, shifting onto his back and urging Harry on top of him.

"He claims it is incredibly urgent," JARVIS continued, making Tony growl against Harry's lips.

"Yeah, and your hand on my dick is incredibly urgent," he muttered in irritation. Unable to hold back a snicker, Harry propped himself up on his elbows as Tony reached for his phone, which was buzzing on the coffee table and flashing a picture of Coulson's face. "Busy here, Coulson, and this is definitely outside of hours." Harry didn't need to see the screen to tell Coulson looked unimpressed.

"Whatever you're doing can wait, Stark, this is serious," the agent replied, making Harry sigh silently. There went his hopes of sex tonight.

"Don't care," Tony replied childishly. "I don't technically live here until November 1st, so feel free to come back then if you still have problems." They had told the press that November 1st was their move date, so until then any sightings of them in New York could hopefully be passed off as just visiting. Harry didn't think people were convinced, but at least it stopped Tony being harassed by his board members.

"If this goes the way we think it will, there won't be anything to come back to by November 1st." Harry's eyes widened at Coulson's tone, but before he could say anything the door swung open, and the man himself stared at them from the doorway. "Loki has the Tesseract."

"Well, shit." Coulson snorted at the Brit's words, lips quirking briefly.

"That about sums up the situation. We need you in on this, Stark; we're bringing Banner in earlier than planned — no one knows radiation like he does — but we can't guarantee he'll be in." Harry shifted off Tony's lap, allowing the man to get to his feet. As Tony moved over to the coffee table, Coulson held out a tablet with the screen lit.

"Please don't hand me things," Tony requested, shaking his head. Rolling his eyes, Harry took the tablet from Coulson with an exasperated look.

"Don't be pedantic, Tony. If I can hand you our child, I can hand you this." Shoving the tablet into Tony's hands, he ignored the man's faintly annoyed look, turning back to Coulson. "Are you pulling the Avengers out?" Tony connected the tablet to the coffee table, bringing up the files with the intense look of concentration that Harry knew meant they wouldn't be getting anything out of him. He wasn't surprised when the holo screens dotted around the room lit up, showing a mix of The Avengers' files, and also a file on the Tesseract. Tony knew most of it already, but he hadn't been updated on their progress in a while.

"That's the plan, if they'll all cooperate. Like I said, Natasha's gone to bring Banner in," Coulson explained, looking almost anxious. It made Harry uneasy; he'd never seen Coulson lose his cool.

"Clint's not with you?" he asked, and immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say as Coulson's composure slipped even further, just for a moment.

"Clint… has been compromised," the agent replied, the words hanging heavy in the air. "That's part of what we need Stark for. According to Jane Foster, all Asgardian magic has a basis in science… hopefully Loki's sceptre does too."

"Shit, Phil, I'm sorry," Harry breathed, aghast. "We'll get him back."

"Wait, hold up a second, _we_?" Tony cut in, head snapping up. "You're not a part of this, green eyes."

"Tony, I can help!" Harry insisted heatedly, moving in closer to look over his lover's shoulder. "We both know that I know more about that particular subject than you." He was trying to be vague, well aware Coulson had no knowledge of wizard magic, but he knew that things would probably come out sooner or later anyway.

"Agent just said it's science-magic," Tony retorted, looking back at the screens. "Emphasis on the science. Besides, if this is gonna be a showdown, I don't want you involved." Harry snorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, 'cause I've never done _that_ before," he muttered dryly. "What do you expect me to do, just sit around and wait while you go running off into danger?"

"You do it all the time! You're practically a pro!" Harry grasped Tony's shoulder, spinning him around to meet his gaze.

"This is different, Tony. This is Loki." He'd seen on the news the amount of destruction the god had caused last time he'd been on Earth. And if there was one thing he'd learnt from wizarding mythology, it was that messing with gods never turned out well for anyone.

"Look, Harry, I know you want to help, but I can't do this knowing you're not safe, knowing _Luke's_ not safe. I promise I'll be careful, and I'll call if I have any magic related problems, and you can come save me in a heartbeat like the damsel in distress we both know I really am. But until then, can you please just take Luke and go somewhere safe? I can't even _think_ straight when there's a possibility of something happening to either of you!" Tony's voice got progressively louder and more desperate as he spoke, until he was actually breathing harshly as he stared at Harry. The Brit went wide-eyed; was this how it felt for his friends and family every time he'd gone rushing off to fight Voldemort?

"Okay," he agreed, running soothing hands over Tony's shoulders. "Okay, you win. I'll stay here with Luke, or take him to Remus if things get bad. But, just, promise me you'll stay in touch." As his hands moved down to rest on Tony's hips, he placed a quick monitoring charm on his lover. He didn't trust Tony to call if he needed rescuing. "Keep me updated, and don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"I promise," Tony agreed, looking relieved as he leaned in for a brief kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Stay safe." Pulling away, Tony turned to Coulson, who seemed vaguely uncomfortable at witnessing the private moment.

"Where do you need me?"

"You can have the night to go through the files before you head to the helicarrier, or you can head up there now and do the research there. Hill has already set aside a lab for you, and the rest of us will convene there as soon as possible," the man replied promptly. Tony shrugged, checking his watch.

"No point in me staying here, I might as well get started. Let me say goodbye to Luke, then I'll suit up and fly on over." Coulson nodded, and Harry moved away from Tony, reaching to clasp the man on the shoulder. He placed on him a similar monitoring charm to the one he had on Tony; he liked the agent, and would never forgive himself if something happened that he could stop.

"Clint will be fine," he assured softly, a knowing expression on his face that made Coulson smile tightly. Honestly, one day the pair would just get over themselves and admit they were in love with each other. "He's tough." Nodding, Coulson squared his shoulders, looking past Harry to Tony.

"I'll see you at the helicarrier, Stark. Sorry for interrupting your night, Harry." Harry snorted, shaking his head, and watched the man turn to leave. JARVIS would see him out safely. Looking back at Tony, he saw the man already loading the files to JARVIS' servers, and Harry sighed to himself.

"Luke's going to worry about you," he murmured, making Tony wince.

"I'm trying to think of a way to wake him up to say goodbye in the middle of the night that won't make him panic," he admitted. Chuckling, Harry strode over to place his hands over Tony's, stopping their movement.

"Go say goodbye," he urged, kissing him. "I'll get this sorted here." Or, rather, he'd keep an eye on it while JARVIS got it sorted. Nodding, Tony pulled him into a tight hug, inhaling deeply into the crook of his neck.

"I'll come home as soon as I can," he vowed, bringing a lump to Harry's throat. The goodbye felt more permanent than he would have liked.

"You'd better do," he retorted lightly. "Go on, you; go save the world." Tony chuckled, releasing him and throwing up a quick salute.

"Yes, sir." With a wink and a cheeky grin, he ducked out of the room to go say goodbye to Luke, and Harry took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair.

"I don't like this," he muttered, glancing over at the computer screens.

"I will endeavour to keep him safe while you cannot, Sir," JARVIS declared quietly, making Harry smile faintly.

"That's all I can ask, JARVIS." He was unsurprised when, fifteen minutes later, JARVIS confirmed that Tony had left. A glance out the window saw Iron Man shooting off towards the coastline, and Harry sighed once more, turning away and making for the corridor. Unable to help himself, he detoured by Lucas' room, nudging the door open to peer inside.

"Dad?" The voice was sleepy, barely a whisper, but Harry could see his son's eyes staring at him in the darkness. Slipping further into the room, he moved to perch on the edge of the bed, smiling at the boy. "Is Papa gonna be okay?"

"Oh, pup," he breathed, smoothing Luke's messy black hair. "Papa's going to be just fine, okay? Agent Coulson needed his help with something, but he'll be home soon, and everything is going to be fine. You just go back to sleep, yeah?" Luke yawned, leaning into Harry's touch.

"Mm'kay. Love you, Dad." Bending over, Harry kissed his forehead, standing up to tuck him in properly where the blankets had been kicked away in his sleep.

"Love you, too, kid." Retreating from the room, he went to his own, heart twisting in his chest at the sight of his and Tony's large, empty bed. Stripping off his jeans, he raised his eyebrows, a smile tugging at his lips when he saw his sleep shirt was missing from his pillow, but Tony's had been put in its place. "Sappy bastard," he muttered fondly, pulling the old ACDC t-shirt over his head, the smell of Tony catching his nose soothingly. Going through his bathroom routine quickly, he approached the bed from the wrong side, crawling in on Tony's side as JARVIS dimmed the lights. The pillow smelled of Tony's shampoo, and a little like motor oil, and Harry squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to pretend the billionaire was there with him. It didn't really work.

.-.-.

As much as he would have liked to do otherwise, Harry kept about his usual business while Tony was gone. Tony called every now and then to confirm he was okay, and once to grill Harry on magical theory, but news from the other man was sparse. Harry understood he was busy, but it didn't stop him being nervous. The little incident with Loki in Stuttgart had made the news, and Harry had a bad feeling in his gut about the whole thing.

Trying not to fidget like a nervous child, he watched as Pepper flitted about the living room, gathering paper files and slotting them into her briefcase. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" she asked in concern, and he smiled, knowing it didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah, of course, I'll be fine. Worrying myself to death, but I'll be fine." She smiled knowingly, crossing to give him a hug.

"This is the part I hate most since Tony became Iron Man. Knowing he's out there, but not knowing where, or when he'll be back, or even…"

"If he'll be back," he finished for her, smile turning grim. "I was always on the other side of things, as a kid. Now I feel like I should apologise to everyone I knew back then for making them feel like this." He took a deep breath, kissing her temple. "But no, you go, do the work that Tony's skipping out on, cheeky sod," he joked lightly. "You and Happy have fun in California." They were heading over for a few conference meetings that Tony was meant to have appeared at, and truthfully Harry was glad; it meant they were both out of harm's way.

She kissed his cheek, then broke the embrace to go slip her heels on, putting on her businesswoman mask. She turned to Luke, who was on the sofa, and held her arms out to him. "Hug," she insisted, making him grin as he slid his arms around her, her lips pressing to his forehead. "Be good for your dad, and I'll see you in a few days."

"Bye, Aunt Pepper." Giving Harry one last sympathetic look, Pepper stepped into the elevator to go meet Happy in the garage, and Harry wandered over to join his son on the sofa, grabbing his tablet off the coffee table. Maybe he could get some work done to distract him from his worry; he hadn't heard from Tony all day.

Keeping one eye on Luke as the boy decided to get some of his toys out, Harry steadily made his way through some paperwork, mostly focused on the Potter-Stark merger. The department was setting up nicely, and orders for magic-safe tech were coming through thick and fast. The aim was to eventually have everything SI made turned magic-safe, but until then they were just taking specific orders. Things needed to happen gradually, or Tony's board members would get suspicious.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he was startled out of his work by a red warning message flashing up on his screen. Things were silent, though, so Harry assumed it wasn't too severe. "Luke, pup, why don't you go play in your room for a bit, hmm?" Luke looked up, frowning in suspicion.

"Is Papa hurt?" he asked, prompting a pang of guilt in his father; what did it say when that was his son's first thought?

"No, Tony's fine, I just need to deal with some business stuff in here." He didn't want to leave Luke in the living room and go into the office, not when the boy's room was safer. Luke frowned, but did as he was told, hurrying off to his room with his dragon toys in tow. "JARVIS, what's the problem?" Harry asked instantly, the warning fading from his tablet screen.

"The SHIELD helicarrier has suffered an attack," the AI reported promptly. "Sir is working to fix things, but believes it to be a distraction. Nonetheless, Sir installed me in their servers, and it will take significant effort to keep them airborne."

"Installed without permission, no doubt," Harry remarked wryly, trying not to let his rising panic choke him. "Patch me through to Tony."

"Of course, Sir." There was a pause, before muttered cursing came through the audio feed, and Harry couldn't help but smile at the familiar voice.

"Tony, JARVIS said you're having a little trouble," he said by way of greeting, sounding far calmer than he felt. Tony barked out a laugh.

"Nothing major, just a few scratches. I'll have her back up and running in no time," he replied mock-cheerily. "Listen, gorgeous, I know you're going to hate this but I need you to trust me, okay? Take Luke and go visit Remus for a while, I'll call you when it's safe. We don't know what Loki's planning, but whatever it is it looks like it's happening on our home turf, and I don't want you involved. He's powerful, and completely nuts, and that's the worst combination."

"Which one of us here is the most powerful wizard in the world?" Harry pointed out indignantly. "I might be a bit out of practice, but I can still wipe the floor with that little shit if he dare touches my family."

"Not without exposing yourself," Tony argued. "Even with your reputation you'll be in all kinds of shit if you do magic in public, and you know how our news crews are. If Loki starts something in New York you can be damned sure there'll be a hundred cameras pointed at it, and the last thing you need is to be caught doing magic on tape. People accept superheroes, and put up with mutants, but wizards is a whole other matter. Please, Harry, I need you to do this for me."

"You're right, Tony. I don't like this," Harry muttered, annoyance in his tone. "But fine, okay, I'll head back to Grimmauld with Luke. Keep in contact, and play nice with the other boys and girls, okay?" Tony laughed, and Harry managed a small smile. "Let me know if my skills are needed, yeah?"

"Will do, gorgeous. I have to go pay attention to things, Cap's getting panicky. See you soon, love you."

"Love you, too. Be safe." Letting JARVIS cut the connection, Harry rushed through to the bedroom to stuff a bag full of clothes and his laptop, not bothering with anything not completely essential. Spelling open the locked drawer in his dresser, he dug out his wand and holster and strapped it firmly to his arm. Straightening up, he paused, one hand settling briefly on his stomach at the faint kick of nausea. "Not now," he breathed, gritting his teeth.

When he was packed, he jogged through to Luke's room, the boy going wide-eyed when he saw the bag on his father's shoulder. Not even asking, he jumped up from the floor where he was playing with his dragons, hurrying to his wardrobe and dragging a rucksack out from the bottom. "We're going back to Grimmauld for a bit, to see Remus," Harry told him, not even trying to sound cheerful. Luke didn't deserve to be lied to. "Papa is fine, but he thinks the bad man might try and do something in New York, so he wants us to be safe. Just pack the essentials, all right? We shouldn't be there long." Grabbing a few random books and clothes, Harry helped the boy pack, smiling when his Stark console was placed carefully in the bag. Reaching out, he pulled Lucas close, hugging him to his chest. "Everything is going to be fine," he promised softly. "Have you got everything?"

"My toothbrush," Luke started, but Harry shook his head.

"There's spares of all that at Remus', it's fine." Straightening up, he took Luke's bag and wrapped a firm arm around his son's shoulders. "JARVIS, I want the personal levels on the tower on full lockdown. No one gets in, no one knows we're gone." With a brief thought, he raised the wards he'd put up around their level, making it completely impenetrable for anyone but him, Tony or Luke.

"Yes, Sir." With that confirmed, he pulled Luke even tighter, squeezing his eyes shut, and with a soft pop, they were gone.

.-.

They reappeared in the hallway of Grimmauld Place, and Harry let both their bags drop to the floor by the stairs. "Remus!" he called, heading to look in the kitchen. Luke had a tight grip on his hand, and looked a little pale, his lips turned in a frown. "Remus, where are you?"

"Living room!" came the reply, and Harry turned on his heel to follow it. "Cub, what's wrong, what are you doing here?" Remus was on his feet when they found him, brow furrowed in concern. "Where's Tony?"

"Saving the world," Harry replied dryly, pulling the man into a brief hug. "Have you not seen the news?" Remus shook his head, and Harry gave a brief explanation, aware that small ears were listening in. "Listen, Moons, I need you to look after Luke for me while I go back over. If Tony thinks I'm just going to sit here and wait for him to finish up, he can do one." Remus snorted, a knowing smile at his lips.

"Of course, Harry. But do me a favour in return and put some dragonhide on, would you? Going into battle unprepared is just foolish, especially now," he added with a glance at Harry's midsection. Harry snorted, giving the man another hug. That werewolf nose never led him wrong.

"Knew I could count on you," he murmured, grinning. Of course Remus understood that he couldn't just sit and wait. "Is it where I left it?" The werewolf nodded, and Harry let go of Luke's hand to run downstairs to the basement, throwing open the cupboard down there to find his dragonhide undershirt. He hadn't worn it since the war, but the spells were still good and the hide was thick enough to stop bullets. With it was a pair of matching dragonhide trousers and some boots, which he struggled into, and a full dragonhide battle robe, which he ignored; no need to draw undue attention to himself. Pulling his t-shirt back on over the undershirt, he dashed back up to the living room, stopping in his tracks when he saw the tears rolling down his son's cheeks. "Oh, Luke, pup, come here, what's wrong?" he urged, dropping to his knees to hug his son. Luke threw his arms around his father's neck, choking out a sob.

"You're gonna go help Papa and get hurt and then you'll both be gone!" he sniffled, making Harry's chest tighten.

"Hush, love. I'm not going to get hurt, and neither is Papa, okay? We'll both be absolutely fine, and I'll come get you when things are safe again. My laptop is in my bag, so I'll leave it with you, and you can talk to JARVIS whenever you want to know how we're doing, okay?" Luke bit his lip, and Harry managed an encouraging smile, gently wiping the boy's cheeks. "I know this has all gone fast, and it's scary, but I promise everything is going to be fine. Just trust me; Tony and I won't let anything happen to each other." Rocking back on his heels, he met Luke's tearful gaze. "I need you to be brave for me, pup. Can you do that?" The boy nodded, wiping away his tears, and Harry smiled, kissing his forehead. "There we go, that's my boy. I love you, and I'll see you soon. Have fun with Uncle Moony."

"Love you, Daddy. Don't get hurt." Hugging his son tightly, Harry got to his feet, looking to Remus.

"I'll look after him," the older man promised softly, hugging Harry and pecking his cheek. "You go do what you need to do. Send updates when you can."

"Will do." Stepping back, he blew a kiss to Lucas and apparated away, arriving in an alley just around the corner from Stark Tower. Everyone seemed to be going about their usual business, unaware of the potential danger they were in, and Harry was just about to go find a good spot to wait in when his magic gave a sharp tug, and his blood turned to ice. The monitoring charm.

He forgot how to breathe in the few seconds it took him to figure out that it wasn't Tony's charm triggered, but Coulson's. Guiltily, he was relieved, but focused on the strand of magic connected to the agent, following it as he apparated. He arrived in what was clearly the helicarrier, his ears popping at the rapid pressure change. Not bothering to look around, his gaze landed on the suit-clad man slumped against the wall nearby, bleeding out rapidly from a hole in his chest. Harry winced, sucking in a sharp breath; that didn't look good. "Phil? Phil, it's me, it's Harry," he called, falling to the man's side and slapping his cheek gently, getting him to open his eyes. There was no one else around, but he doubted it would be that way for long. Fury had to have cameras all over the place; he wouldn't miss his best agent getting shot.

"Harry?" Coulson slurred, cracking one eye open. "The fuck would I hallucinate you on my deathbed?" Unable to help the snort that escaped his lips, Harry gently pushed the man's hands off the wound in his chest, ripping his shirt open to get a better look at the wound. It looked like something had gored him straight through the chest, to the point of sticking out the other side. His heart was fucked, and Harry felt his magic reach out instinctively, catching in the mangled edges of the wound and fighting to create healthy cells from nothing. It wasn't medi-magic, not anything he'd been taught; it was raw magic, and Harry had never been more thankful for his rebellious magical core than he was at that moment.

"You're not dying, Phil," he insisted. "Don't be thick."

"Don't patronise me," Coulson shot back in a mumble. Harry rolled his eyes, focusing on his breathing as his magic stretched further into Coulson's injury, into his _soul_ , trying to keep hold of that little spark of life. He had a habit of forgetting to breathe when he was using raw magic.

He could see the wound beginning to heal over, new muscle and flesh growing from the jagged remains of what was still there. The sound of boots clanging on metal almost distracted him from his work, but he ignored it, pushing everything that wasn't Phil Coulson from his mind. At least, until a hand grasped his shoulder, wrenching him away from the man's body. "How the fuck did you get on my ship, and what the fuck did you do to him?" Harry could only assume that the intimidating leather-clad man with the eyepatch was Nick Fury himself, and didn't flinch under the man's steely gaze, shoving him out of the way with one shoulder to get his magic back in the wound.

"I'm _trying_ to save his life, if you'd just let me do my job. I'm on your side, Fury. And as for how I got here, doesn't matter." Coulson's eyes went wide at the sight of Fury, still glazed over.

"Boss? M'sorry. The god rabbited." That confirmed what Harry had already assumed; Loki was responsible. It was probably a good thing Tony wasn't letting him fight, or he'd hex the scrawny little shit right back to Asgard.

"Just stay awake, Coulson. Potter, what are you doing, move over and let the paramedics do their job," Fury demanded, only to be ignored.

"Just a minute," Harry muttered, tongue between his teeth as he watched heart muscle regrow until the man's life was pulsing a little more steadily. The hole was beginning to close up at the back, and Harry knew that if he pushed too much magic into it he'd overload him. Muggles weren't made for serious magic use. "I nearly have him stable."

"Is that — is it _growing_?" Fury asked, stunned.

"Magic," Harry explained shortly. "I promise, you can interrogate me all you want once this whole thing is over, I'll have Pepper pencil you in. Just let me save his fucking life, and don't you _dare_ tell Tony I'm here, he thinks I'm safe at home and I don't want him worrying."

"What the fuck… goddamn it, I thought Asgardians were bad, now you're saying there are humans with magic?" Harry snorted at the man's disgruntled tone, rocking back on his heels as he sensed Coulson was stable enough for the paramedics to take over. The man was unconscious, but Harry hadn't expected anything less, after the stress his body had been through.

"There, he's all yours, now put pressure on it quick and go get him stitched up, or all my work will be for nothing. I can't heal him all the way, he'll have a heart attack." The paramedics hovering uncertainly behind Fury seemed to get the message, jumping into action, and Harry stepped back to give them space, Fury moving with him.

"You're on our side?" Fury checked warily, and Harry nodded.

"One hundred percent. Whoever Tony fights for, I fight for. And like I said, I'll answer all the questions you have when the situation is less urgent," he promised, making a mental note to contact Kingsley and get some sort of liaison started up. Harry wasn't much a fan of the American minister, so if he could get his friend to deal with the man, they would probably be done a lot faster.

"I'll hold you to that, Potter," Fury agreed, before pausing. "And… thanks. Nearly lost my one good eye, here." Harry offered the man a grin, watching as the paramedics rushed Coulson away on a stretcher, leaving behind his jacket and a pool of blood.

"My pleasure, sir. Phil's a good man, I couldn't let anything happen to him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back down to ground level before all hell breaks loose, and before Tony realises I'm not in England like I promised I would be." Not waiting for a reply, Harry apparated back down to the alleyway, jogging out to go find somewhere in the city to keep an eye on things. It was just a matter of time before Loki brought the fight to ground.

.-.-.

Tony frowned in frustration as he flew straight towards Stark Tower, feeling nauseous and violated at the thought of Loki setting up his machine on his tower. That was his home, where his son slept. He was glad Harry and Luke were safe in England; he knew Harry was powerful, but he dreaded to think of what would have happened if the pair had still been home when Loki had started setting up. "How's it looking, JARVIS?"

"I've turned off the Arc Reactor, sir, but the device is completely self-sustaining. The rest of the building are evacuating, and personal levels are on complete lockdown." That was good; the fewer people around, the better. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the suit harder, trying to go faster. He just needed to distract Loki from opening the portal long enough for backup to arrive; if, in fact, they were even coming. God, he hoped they were coming.

.-.-.

When the column of blue light shot up into the sky from the top of Stark Tower, Harry's heart leapt into his throat and the hairs on the back of his neck went on edge. That wasn't anything of Tony's — he could feel the magic crackling off it from where he was stood, several hundred feet away — so how had Loki gotten up there? He could see the Iron Man in the sky, but his attention was quickly drawn by what looked like several hundred small ships flooding from the portal in the sky. Wincing as Tony tackled them head on, Harry's eyes went wide as the aliens on the ships began directing their weapons at civilians. "Oh, fuck that," he muttered, jaw tensing as he jumped to his feet, rushing towards a group of people who were staring blankly at the approaching danger. "What are you waiting for? Run!" he yelled, trying to snap them all from their daze. "Run, and get as far out of the city as you can. Find somewhere safe, just _get off the fucking streets_!" He'd never thought he'd be grateful for his public reputation, but clearly being recognised as Tony Stark's lover gave him some sort of authority, as the people jumped to obey him. An enormous whale-like creature — or was it a ship? Harry couldn't tell — emerged from the portal, making straight for the city, and Harry rushed off to start helping evacuate more places as the aliens came closer to ground. He used magic as openly as he dared, containing explosions and nudging rubble just enough to stop it falling on people, digging into his jacket pocket for his phone earpiece. "JARVIS," he barked into the headset. "First off, I forbid you from telling Tony where I am. He won't fight if he thinks I'm in danger."

"I will do as I'm told, but I do not appreciate lying to my creator," JARVIS retorted sharply, making Harry sigh.

"I know, I'm sorry, but it has to be done. Now break it down for me; what's everyone at?" Listening as the AI gave him a brief account of where the rest of the Avengers were — just arrived in the city, and already getting down to business, bar Banner who was still MIA — and assured him that Tony was safe and fully-charged in the Mark VII. Armour that Harry hadn't thought was finished, but Tony never failed to surprise him.

"Evacuation efforts are being implemented, but like with any panicked crowd it is slow going. The police are calling in reinforcements, and trying to keep the roads clear out of the city." As Harry darted around a corner, he flicked his wrist to draw his wand, confident all the civilians in the area were long gone. Easily beheading an alien with a well-placed cutting charm, Harry actually felt himself start to grin as the adrenaline pumped through his veins, his body easily remembering battle stances, dodging and returning fire without even needing to think about it while JARVIS gave him a run down. A flash of black and red had him stopping in his tracks, and he cursed at seeing the familiar figure a little further down the street, wondering if he could turn tail before she spotted him.

"What the hell are you doing here, Harry?" Natasha called, busy shooting at several of the aliens. Looking closer, Harry saw Clint a few feet away with his bow out, and felt something in his chest ease. JARVIS had confirmed that the archer was no longer under Loki's control, but seeing him actually fit and fighting was a weight off his shoulders. He hadn't saved Coulson just to tell him that the man he loved was dead.

"Same thing you are, I'd imagine!" he replied cheerfully, shooting off a bright blue crushing hex as an alien made to attack the redhead's exposed back, watching as it dropped to the ground, its chest impacting on itself. Natasha blinked for only a second at the display of magic, clearly baffled, but didn't ask.

"Does Stark know you're out here?" she asked, making him snort.

"Of course not. But Luke's safe in England, so no need to worry there. I can take care of myself." Clint looked over, doing a double-take at the sight of Harry. "Good to see you're okay, Clint!" The archer grimaced, shooting off an arrow without even looking at where it was going.

"Harry, get to safety before you get killed!" Natasha cut in, urgency in her tone.

"No can do, Tasha. I'm not just going to stand by and watch people die, not when I can help. Trust me, I'll explain everything later, just know that I can handle it. And if Tony asks, you haven't seen me. I don't want him worrying." He didn't give her a chance to respond, darting off as he spotted a building going down in a cloud of dust nearby. He dreaded to think how many people were trapped in there.

As he ran, firing spells with barely a thought, he felt almost like he was sixteen once more, in the middle of a battle with Death Eaters. His skills felt just as sharp, despite the long period of disuse, and he made a mental note to thank every one of his teachers who was still living. They had been right when they'd trained him up; that sort of knowledge never really left you.

.-.-.-.

Harry was just helping a young girl with a broken leg find her father, when JARVIS bleeped in his ear urgently. The girl cried out, reaching for a man covered in dust standing up ahead, and he called her name, rushing towards them. Ignoring the man's babbled thanks, Harry passed the girl off, connecting to JARVIS with a murmured word. If he was calling now, it had to be urgent. "Bright eyes, you there?"

"I'm here, Tony, what's wrong?" Harry asked instantly, sprinting through the streets to find somewhere he could get a good view of Stark Tower from. The portal was still open, so it clearly wasn't that.

"Damn, it's good to hear your voice. I love you, y'know that? You and Lucas, I love you both so much, I never knew it was possible to love someone that much until I already did."

"You're scaring me, Tony," Harry cut in, voice wavering. "Where are you? You'd better not be injured." He didn't think he had enough magic in him to save another person from bleeding out in one day.

"You're at Remus', right? Turn on the news, but don't let Luke see, I don't want him crying, I can't stand it when he cries." Harry swallowed thickly, panic rising, and he spotted the familiar Iron Man suit soaring through the air, but… there was something attached to it.

"Oh my God, Tony, what is that? What are you holding?"

"It's a nuke, Harry. I can't let it hit, I have to take it through. I just wanted to… I needed to hear your voice one last time before I go." Harry let out an involuntary sound of protest, feeling his eyes begin to water.

"No, Tony, don't you dare, there's got to be another way. You can't do this to me, Tony Stark, don't you fucking dare!" He was sobbing, he knew, but he couldn't bring himself to care, watching as his lover drew closer and closer to the portal. Who knew where that thing led; and even if Tony was safe through it, he wouldn't get away from the bomb in time. "We have a _child_ , and you promised me another, you promised me fifty years for fuck's sake!" One hand on his wand, the other on his stomach, Harry's shoulders shook as he tried not to fall to his knees.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but there's no other choice. It's me or the city, gorgeous."

"You, every time," Harry replied without missing a beat, making Tony chuckle.

"I'll be fine," the American insisted. "I've got air reserves. I'll just dump the nuke through and come right back here." It sounded feeble, and Harry didn't believe him either.

"Don't," Harry pleaded, tears coming thick and fast. "Don't do it, Tony."

"I have to," Tony replied. "C'mon, don't make this harder than it is already. Tell me you love me." He was rapidly approaching the portal now, and Harry was finding it hard to breathe.

"I love you, you know I do, I've always loved you, I always will," he assured. "Just don't do this."

"I love you, too. Give Luke a kiss for me, okay? And thanks, for everything, I—" The connection cut out abruptly as Tony and the bomb vanished through the portal, and Harry screamed, finally losing his battle against his non-responsive limbs, dropping to the ground. His eyes were glued to the portal in the sky, and he choked on his own gasping breaths when the light coming from Stark Tower cut off; the portal was closing.

"No," he murmured feverishly. "No, they can't, he's still in there, no!" The portal began to shrink, growing smaller by the second, and Harry's eyes widened at the flash of red and gold that dropped out just before it closed for good. Tony had done it! "JARVIS! JARVIS, patch me through!" Scrambling to his feet, he began to run closer, trying to guess where Tony might land. The streets were just full of rubble and tossed cars, and he couldn't get anywhere. His magic was practically strangling him with the monitoring charm he had on his lover, and he was sure he was going to be sick.

"Sir, I have no connection to the suit," JARVIS responded, sounding worried. Harry screamed again in frustration; how was that possible? JARVIS never lost contact with the suit!

"Well _make_ a connection, damn it!" he growled, stopping running as he lost sight of Tony. There was a long silence in which Harry was sure his heart didn't actually beat, before a loud roar that could only have come from the Hulk echoed through the city. Waiting for some sort of information, he physically jumped as JARVIS spoke once more.

"Sir, I have a connection. The suit powered down during space travel, but seems to have restarted. Sir's vitals are rising to a steady level; there seems to be no serious damage. I believe he and the Avengers are planning to retrieve Loki and return to the helicarrier for debriefing and medical attention," the AI informed him. Harry sighed, relief flooding him so quickly he went lightheaded. He was quite sure the shock was setting in; he needed a potion, and tea. Mostly tea.

"Right. Well. I'm going to go back to England and pick up Luke, and then I'll be up on the helicarrier to find Tony." Taking a long, steadying breath, Harry focused on Grimmauld and turned on the spot to apparate, the crack as loud as a gunshot. Maybe he was more tired than he thought. Swaying a little on landing, he had barely two seconds before the contents of his stomach was making a reappearance on the hall carpet, bile burning his throat. Well, it had been bound to happen eventually.

"Oh, cub." He was dazed as he felt a hand on his back, seeing the vomit disappear at the mutter of a spell, and allowed Remus to lead him through to the living room.

"Where's Luke?" he croaked, not seeing his son in the room anywhere.

"Upstairs meditating, he started to panic after you left and broke a bookcase." Sure enough, one of the heavy wooden bookcases against the far wall was in a pile of splinters and pages, and Harry couldn't help but snort.

"That's my boy," he muttered, making Remus laugh. Luke's accidental magic was powerful, and that was a good sign. "Fuck, Moony. I'm not as young as I used to be." The werewolf snorted once more, easing him down onto the sofa.

"No, you most certainly are not. Sit there for a bit, I'll go put the kettle on. Are you injured?" Harry shook his head, stomach still roiling.

"No, just a few cuts and bruises, and dehydrated. In shock, though. Lots of shock. I'd appreciate a potion for that."

"Calming draught, coming right up," Remus promised, squeezing his shoulder before disappearing. Looking down at himself, Harry grimaced at the thick layer of dust and grime covering him, as well as the sticky black liquid that seemed to be alien blood. Pulling his jacket off and his t-shirt over his head, he reached down to unlace his boots, stripping until he was sat on the sofa in just his boxers and dragonhide undershirt. His hand went to his stomach, feeling for the faint magic gathered there, and he smiled as he felt it still going strong.

Remus returned with a potion and tea, and Harry downed the contents of the small vial in one gulp, breathing slowly while he waited for it to kick in. He opened his eyes when he felt himself begin to calm, smiling as he saw half a bar of Honeyduke's finest sat on the saucer next to his teacup. "Oh, you beautiful man," he murmured, accepting the sugary treat gratefully. Remus sat beside him, chuckling.

"You look like you need it." Their shoulders bumped together, and Remus turned to look at him with concern in his eyes. "What happened, cub?" Harry let out a long sigh, sipping at his tea, and relayed as short a summary of the events as he could manage, getting choked up when he tried to tell his godfather about Tony going through the portal. Remus wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pressing a long kiss to his temple. "Tony is safe," he soothed. "JARVIS said so, and he wouldn't lie to you about that. Everything turned out just fine, like you promised Luke." Harry managed a faint smile, draining the last of his tea and setting it on the table.

"Yeah, in the end." He ran a hand through his hair, grimacing when it came back covered in dirt. "I'm going to go shower and change, then grab Luke to take him to Tony. I need to see him, to see for myself that he's okay."

"That sounds like a good plan. Your bag is in your room." Remus helped him to his feet, then paused, offering a faint grin. "Congratulations, by the way." Harry laughed, grinning back at the older man.

"I meant to tell you," he started, but Remus rolled his eyes, cutting him off.

"I know, I know, these are hardly expected circumstances. Go on, go get clean." Harry nodded, starting carefully up the stairs, making sure to be quiet as he passed the meditation room. He didn't think the helicarrier was magic-safe, and he didn't want to interrupt Luke regaining control. Slipping into his bedroom, he stripped the rest of the way and padded naked through to the bathroom, starting up the shower. The hot water felt good as it poured over his skin, and as cliche as it was he felt like he was washing away the stress, his muscles loosening as he scrubbed the dirt from his skin and hair. He didn't take too long, aware that the last time he'd spoken to Tony was when the man had been going to his death, and dressed quickly in a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans, pulling his threadbare Gryffindor hoodie on over the top. It still smelled a little like Tony from when the man had stolen it a few days ago. Harry needed that comfort.

Clean, dressed and feeling far more human, Harry left his bag where it was, knowing he could come back and get it another time, or have Remus bring it over. Making for the meditation room, he knocked tentatively on the door, waiting for a call of affirmation before entering. Luke was sat cross-legged on one of the mats in the centre of the room, but he jumped to his feet when he saw his father, rushing towards him. Harry pulled him into a tight hug, burying his face in the boy's hair and inhaling, feeling tears come to his eyes once more. Luke would never know how close he'd come to losing his papa, so soon after he'd just found him. "Hey, pup. Moony said you got a little emotional. You really did a number on that bookcase, hmm?" He cracked a grin, and Luke flushed, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"It was an accident, and I said I was sorry," he murmured, making Harry chuckle.

"No harm done, love. Now why don't we go back home and see Tony, yeah? He's on the SHIELD helicarrier, so we'll go visit him there." Luke's eyes went round as he stared up at his father.

"I get to go on the helicarrier?" he gasped, having heard about it from Tony. "Papa's okay, like you promised?" Harry's throat went dry as he briefly envisioned what would have happened if Tony _hadn't_ been okay. How would he have been able to face Luke afterwards?

"Yes, and yes. He's a little scraped up — we both are — and I don't know how badly he's hurt, but JARVIS promised me he's going to be fine." Luke beamed, hugging him once more.

"Glad you're okay, Dad," he murmured, drawing a smile to Harry's face as he kissed Luke's forehead.

"Me too, kid. Now come on, let's go say goodbye to Uncle Moony and get on our way." Luke happily slipped his hand into Harry's, walking with him downstairs. The hallway showed no sign of having been vomited on, and when they went into the living room the bookcase was in pristine condition once more, Remus re-organising the books on it.

"Are you two off, then?" he presumed, and Harry nodded.

"Thanks for all this, Rem, I owe you one." Remus rolled his eyes, pulling him into a hug.

"Don't be daft, it's what I'm here for. Things had been far too quiet recently without you around," he teased, earning a snort.

"Well we're going to have to re-model the tower a bit after all this, so if you want us to add anything special to your rooms…" Harry trailed off with a smirk, and Remus swatted his shoulder.

"Oh, away with you," he muttered in exasperation, crouching to hug Luke. "It was good seeing you, pup. I'm sure I'll see you again soon."

"Bye, Uncle Moony. I'm sorry about the books," the five year-old added sheepishly. Remus ruffled his hair, smiling.

"Not a problem; your dad did far worse with accidental magic, and he was much older than you when it happened," he teased, watching Harry go red. For wizards, having accidental magic past schooling age was like wetting yourself; considered childish and embarrassing for everyone involved. Harry's only excuse was that his magical core was much larger than the average wizard's, and took more effort to control.

"See you soon, love," Harry told Remus with a smile, hoisting Luke up onto his hip and pulling his phone from his pocket. "JARVIS, I need coordinates for the helicarrier, please. Somewhere empty, if you can." Within moments, a set of coordinates appeared on his screen, and he memorised them, the numbers clear in his head as he apparated.

They arrived in what seemed to be an empty conference room, the walls the same metal as the room Harry had found Coulson in. Checking the monitoring charm he had still attached to the man, he smiled in relief at feeling everything was okay. "Come on then, pup," he murmured, hitching the boy further up his torso. "Let's go find your father."


	34. Chapter 34

It didn't take much persuasion to find out where the medical wing was; all the agents seemed too shell-shocked to question why Tony Stark's partner and son were on their helicarrier. A frazzled-looking woman who couldn't have been much older than Harry himself helpfully directed them to Tony's room specifically, and Harry thanked her profusely, heading in the direction instructed. As he drew closer to Tony's room, he heard voices and muffled laughter, and it set him at ease; they wouldn't be laughing if anyone was seriously hurt. Conversation halted abruptly as he nudged the door open, and the people crowded in the small room stared at him. They were all still in uniform, and Harry recognised them, either personally or through their files, as the Avengers. He felt a little bit proud at seeing his lover in the middle of all those incredible heroes. As, in his opinion, the biggest hero of them all.

He smiled in relief as he saw Tony, bandaged and bruised and lying in a hospital bed, but awake, alive, and a smile on his face as he chuckled at something Clint had said. "Papa!" Luke exclaimed, breaking the silence, and Tony's face lit up when he saw them both. Harry set Lucas down, and the boy wasted no time in running to Tony's hospital bed, Natasha smiling and helping him up.

"Hey, little man. It's so good to see you!" Tony enthused, reaching out with his good arm to pull Luke close, kissing his hair. Harry felt a pang in his heart as Tony inhaled his son's scent with the expression of a man who had never expected to live to do it again. "Be gentle with me, kiddo, I'm a little delicate right now."

"You, delicate? Never," Harry teased, approaching the bed with a fond smile. Tony smiled back, the love obvious in his eyes, and Harry wished they were alone for their reunion. The rest of the Avengers were staring in confusion — except for Clint and Natasha, who merely looked somewhat smug — and Harry tried to ignore them, perching on the edge of Tony's bed. "You scared me half to death," he declared, voice still a little shaky. Tony grimaced apologetically.

"I'm sorry," he said instantly. "It was the only way." Harry rolled his eyes, punching him lightly in the shoulder that was least injured.

"Only way, my arse. You could've died, Tony! Then where would I be? Where would _we_ be?" he asked angrily, embarrassed to feel hot tears escaping his eyes.

"Hey, hey," Tony soothed, catching his hand. "Shh, easy. Look at me. I could've died, but I didn't, okay? I'm here, I'm safe, and I'm not going anywhere." Harry huffed, glaring lightly.

"Do something that bloody reckless again, Tony Stark, and I swear I'll kill you myself," he warned, drawing a bark of laughter from his lover. He reached out to stroke Tony's sweat-matted hair, leaning in for a firm kiss. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Well, aren't you two just adorable," Natasha teased, and Harry straightened up, glaring lightly.

"Sod off, 'Tasha," he muttered. "But thanks for not closing the portal on him." She half-smiled, shrugging.

"Luke needs his Papa," she said by way of explanation. "Even if he is the most annoying man on the face of the earth." Harry laughed, even as Tony let out an offended noise.

"Man of Iron!" Thor boomed. "You have yet to introduce us to your brother in arms, and the young one." Tony grinned, and Harry glanced at him with raised eyebrows as if to say 'is he for real?'.

"Bright eyes, meet the Avengers. You know Clint and Natasha, of course. Tall, blonde and handsome number one is Thor Odinson; god of thunder, lightning, and probably soon, poptarts." Clint snorted, while Thor looked contemplative, as if considering the logistics of adding 'god of poptarts' to his resume. "Tall, blonde and handsome number two is none other than Captain America himself, Steve Rogers. Can you believe my search team found him when they found the Tesseract? He woke up a month ago and no one told me!" he exclaimed, annoyed. Harry blinked, staring at Steve, who was staring back equally perplexedly.

"I thought you got a report from them every two weeks?" Harry asked, and Tony nodded.

"I do. They lied to me. Moving on; Mr occasional-green-rage-monster is the legendary Dr Bruce Banner. He's moving in with us because I want him in my lab for science reasons, okay?" Harry chuckled, seeing the surprise on Bruce's face.

"Dr Banner, are you aware that Tony has been fanboying over your work for at least six years, if not longer? And it's not even his field. If he starts getting creepy with you, just let me know," he added playfully, watching Tony put on a wounded look.

"Me, creepy? As if I wasn't hurt enough, gorgeous," he retorted. Harry rolled his eyes at his partner's dramatics; he was obviously fine, if he was making jokes. "Everyone, this is my much, much better half, Harry Potter, and our son Lucas. Get to know them, because Harry will probably be fielding my calls and saving my butt on a regular basis."

"What… but… is that _legal_?" Steve spluttered, and Tony sighed.

"Not 1940 anymore, Capsicle. 21st century, the era of free love. You got a problem with it, you tell me now, because I will not have prejudice around my son," he said firmly. Steve blinked, still looking confused, but shook his head hastily, clearly not wanting to upset anyone.

"No problem," he insisted. "Just surprised. But, uh, pleasure to meet you both, I guess." Harry smiled, shaking Steve's hand.

"Luke's a big fan," he confided with a smirk. "Has all your action figures, comics, everything. You're his favourite superhero except for Iron Man." When Steve turned to look at the black-haired boy, it was to find him staring round-eyed back at him.

"Are you really Captain America?" he asked, and Steve grinned at him.

"I am, yes. Wanna see my shield?" Reaching back behind him, Steve carefully lifted the shield onto his lap, holding it out so Luke could touch it.

"Cool!" the boy breathed, running small fingers over the star in the centre. "Dad, Papa, can Mr Captain America come live with us too?" Harry snorted at the look on Tony's face, smiling faintly.

"Well, we do have all those residential floors that aren't being used right now. And if you're going to be a team of crime-fighting superheroes, you're going to need a base," he pointed out in amusement. Tony looked at him, then groaned.

"Okay, okay. Open invitation to Stark Tower, for all of you. Harry, call the contractors, tell them we've got some work to do." Harry laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Will do, love."

"Do we not get a say in this?" Clint asked wryly, making Tony smirk.

"Yes, but we both know you'll say yes, because I have a state-of-the-art shooting range, and you think my kid's adorable," he replied knowingly. Clint scowled, but didn't deny it, making Natasha grin.

"It would, uh, probably be better for everyone if I passed on the offer," Bruce started, but Tony cut him off.

"Did I forget to mention that this gorgeous specimen of a man right here happens to be the most powerful wizard on Earth? If you Hulk out, we can contain you," he assured. Harry was surprised he was so blunt about it, but then again, he'd used magic to heal Phil, and in front of Clint and Natasha; it was bound to come out eventually. Besides; the room was full of superheroes, he was in fairly good company. Thor's face lit up at his words, and he turned to Harry excitedly.

"You are of the magic folk!" he exclaimed happily. "I had heard stories, but had yet to meet any since arriving on Midgard! It is an honour, fair wizard."

"The honour is all mine, noble god," Harry replied politely. He may not be very active in the magical community, but even he knew the proper way to greet a god. The words made Thor smile even wider, and he looked to Tony.

"I shall accept your offer of dwellings, Man of Iron, and look forward to getting to know your partner and child, especially as they are of magical blood."

"Wait, wait; there's magic on Earth?" Steve asked, brow furrowed. "Not just in Asgard?"

"There's been witches and wizards on this planet as far as history dates," Harry informed him; there was hardly much point keeping his secret from Tony's new team. Especially if they were going to be moving in. "We're just very good at hiding."

"That explains a lot," Natasha murmured, and Harry winced, knowing what she'd seen earlier that day.

"Harry can tell you all about it when we're in a more comfortable setting, I'm sure," Tony cut in, wincing a little as Luke accidentally nudged one of his bruises.

"Careful, pup," Harry urged, frowning. There was a knock on the door, and they all looked up as a nurse in a SHIELD medical uniform hovered in the doorway.

"Hey, Hawkeye, take the kid to get something to eat, would you?" Tony requested, glancing at the archer. Clint looked up, startled and visibly tense.

"I, uh, are you sure?" He was nervous, and flinched when Natasha rested a hand on his arm. "I mean, I'm sure someone else could do it, he'd probably be safer with them." Harry's eyes widened a fraction as it dawned on him, and he met Tony's equally knowing gaze.

"Clint, we both know you're his favourite," the Brit pointed out with a grin. "Just promise me one thing." Clint practically snapped to attention, nodding, and Harry's grin widened. "Don't let him have any cake or anything, he's probably had far too much already after spending the day with my godfather." Luke let out a whine, and Clint paused, confused and a little bit hopeful. His eyes landed on Harry's face, searching for something, and Harry tried to express the best he could that none of them blamed Clint in the slightest for what he'd done under Loki's thrall.

"Okay, come on, kid. Let's get you fed, huh?" The archer smiled, a weight seemingly lifted, and held out his arms to Luke, who turned to hug Tony the best he could.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked, concern clear in his tone, and Harry didn't miss Tony's wince.

"I'll be fine, pup," the billionaire promised. "All these superheroes here with me? I'm safe as anything. Go with bird-brain, and bring me back something nice." That seemed to be all the confirmation Luke needed, and he smiled, allowing Clint to pick him up and lift him up onto his shoulders.

"All right! To the cafeteria we go!" the archer cheered, slipping past the waiting nurse and out of the room, and Tony finally beckoned the uniformed woman in.

"Clint's his favourite?" Bruce asked, amused, as the nurse began checking Tony's bandages.

"Oh, yeah. They play catch all the time, it's kind-of hilarious. Kid has Clint wrapped around his little finger," Tony replied proudly, hissing as some stitches were jarred.

"It'll probably happen to the rest of you, too," Harry chimed in with a smirk. "He has that effect on people." Steve grinned, and Harry wondered if Luke hadn't already suckered in the tall blonde.

"How old is he?" Steve asked, setting his shield back behind his chair.

"Five," Harry answered, squeezing Tony's hand with worry as the nurse did something that seemed to hurt quite a lot.

"He's a genius," Tony declared proudly, a grin on his face. "Which is to be expected, really. He's a Stark, it's in the blood."

"The official statement is that he's not your blood," Natasha pointed out, one eyebrow raised. Harry frowned, always forgetting that most people thought Luke was just his biologically.

"Magic," he explained. "Tony knocked me up. It's a long story."

"It's a great story. There's pictures," Tony added, yelping as the nurse stuck him with a needle. "Damn, careful where you point those things!"

"Are bearing males the norm amongst your society?" Thor asked, curious. "In Asgard they are very rare, and valued most highly."

"Not amongst non-magic mortals," Harry replied. "But every wizard is capable of it." He would have to introduce Thor to Hermione. He himself was looking forward to getting to know the god, and talking about the difference in their magics.

The nurse left the room, and soon after Clint and Lucas returned, Clint holding a plate of fries covered in ketchup. "All right, kid, you hit the jackpot!" Tony crowed as Luke took the plate and passed it to his father, the American holding up a hand with a grin. "Up top." Harry lifted Luke so he could high-five Tony, setting him on the bed once more.

"You know, Harry, next time you decide to join in the action, I'd appreciate knowing in advance that you're not defenceless," Natasha remarked evenly, her gaze cool. Harry winced, seeing Tony's eyes widen.

"Wait, what now?" he asked, swallowing his mouthful of fries.

"We bumped into Harry in the city," Natasha informed him. "Fighting the Chitauri. I didn't understand what he was doing, how he was fighting them, but magic makes sense." Tony's gaze turned steely and he looked to Harry, who tried not to cower at it.

"You were _there_?" he exclaimed. "I told you to go back to England with Luke, where it was safe!"

"I did!" Harry argued. "I dropped Luke with Remus, put on my battle gear and came back. I wasn't just going to stand by and watch innocent people get hurt, Tony. Like you said, I'm the most powerful wizard in the world. It might have been a few years since I was in the war, but I know what I'm doing." Tony's lips thinned, and he opened his mouth to say something, before shutting it abruptly as he looked at Luke.

"We're talking about this later," he insisted, and Harry sighed.

"I'm fine, Tony. I promise. You can check me over when we're home," he added with a smirk, feeling a small amount of triumph when Tony's gaze grew leering. He clearly wasn't _that_ mad at him.

"What home?" Tony asked with raised eyebrows. "In case you didn't notice, the tower was kind-of the centre of attention. I'm not entirely sure our rooms are habitable."

"They will be," Harry replied confidently. "Wards, remember? I put them up before I left. Though clearly I should consider extending them to the upstairs balcony." Tony hummed in agreement, reaching out to grab Harry's hand and twine their fingers together. Harry grinned at him, then looked up at the rest of the people in the room; all people he would probably be getting to know very well in the near future. They all looked fairly cheerful, all things considered, except Clint, who was staring at the wall with a strange look on his face, almost lost-looking. "Clint?" he called softly, startling the archer from his daze. "Are you alright? You look…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say, and Clint smiled humourlessly.

"You were bound to find out eventually," he mused, shaking his head. "It's Coulson. He didn't make it. Loki got him." His voice was hollow, full of barely-concealed pain, and Harry frowned. He double-checked his monitoring charm — Coulson was just fine, and nearby by the feel of it.

"No," he said flatly, causing Clint's brows to furrow. "He's fine. I healed him myself. He was stable when the paramedics took over, all he needed was a few stitches and a blood transfusion. There's no way he could possibly have died from that."

"What?" Natasha asked sharply, reaching to place a hand on Clint's knee as the man went chalk-white. "Harry, you must be mistaken. Fury called it himself, Coulson went down." Harry snorted, shaking his head in disgust.

"That bastard," he muttered, uncaring that he was using bad language in front of his child. "Fury lied to you, Natasha. He lied to all of you. I'm still monitoring Phil with magic; he's absolutely fine, he's sleeping, and he's somewhere in this helicarrier." He had no idea why Fury would face Coulson's death, but he didn't like it. Clint looked to be in shock, and glancing around saw the rest of the Avengers in a similar state.

"But the cards," Steve murmured, a frown at his lips. "He showed us Coulson's trading cards, covered in blood. Said they were in his jacket." At this, Clint snorted, looking up at the blonde.

"That's a load of crap, Phil always keeps his cards in his locker, in the matching limited edition folder." He turned to Harry, meeting his eyes intently. "You'd better not be lying to me, Harry." Harry reached out, taking the man's shoulder, and briefly opened the monitoring charm far enough for Clint to feel it too.

"Feel that? That's Phil. His heartbeat, his aura. He's fine, Clint. I wouldn't lie about this." The relief spreading over Clint's face was obvious; if Harry hadn't already known how much the archer loved his handler, that would have definitely given it away.

"That asshole," Tony declared, and Luke whined in protest.

"Papa, bad words," he scolded, making Steve snigger.

"I need to find him," Clint said distractedly, getting to his feet and practically racing from the room. The other Avengers got up to follow, and Harry turned to Tony in the hospital bed, who rolled his eyes.

"Go on. Kick his ass for me, hot stuff." Harry laughed, leaning in to kiss his lover, then picked up Luke and chased after the group. He wasn't going to leave his son in an unfamiliar place when Tony was too injured to properly protect him.

He caught up with the Avengers as they walked down a long corridor, and with Clint at the head of the pack it wasn't long before they found Nick Fury himself, talking to an agent Harry vaguely recognised from Tony's files as Maria Hill. The man looked surprised to see them, and even more so once he spotted Harry and Luke. "Why is there a kid on my ship?" he asked bluntly, and Clint stopped in front of him.

"Why did you lie to us? Why did you tell us Phil was dead?" Fury stiffened at his words, and his eye landed on Harry, comprehension dawning.

"It was necessary," he replied, unrepentant. "You idiots needed a reason to get your heads out of your asses and actually work together. Coulson dying was that reason."

" _Necessary_?" Clint repeated, anger clear on his features. Before any of them could blink, he drew back a fist and punched Fury square in the face. "Excuse me, sir," he mocked. "That was _necessary_." Harry snorted, stepping forward to glare at the Director.

"I healed Phil Coulson," he told the man, standing his ground and not blinking, even when he was glared at. Nick Fury was nowhere near as scary as some of the people he'd faced. Hell, he didn't even match up to Malfoy, either Junior or Senior. "And even if lying about that was necessary, as you put it — which is a load of bollocks — continuing to lie after everything was over was definitely _not_. They came together. They saved the world. The battle ended hours ago; you've had plenty of time to inform them that Phil is actually alive."

"Where is he?" Clint asked, voice deadly quiet. "Goddamn it, Fury, show me where he is!"

"I've got that covered," Harry assured, him, resting a hand on the man's bare bicep, ignoring the dust and blood coming away on his fingers. "This way, come on." He paused, looking back at Fury. "I said I'd answer your questions, Director, and I will. But this does _not_ endear you to me, and the last thing you want is to become my enemy. My enemies don't tend to survive very long." That said, he concentrated on the string of magic connecting him to Phil Coulson, and began to walk.

He wasn't completely sure how long he walked for, the Avengers hot on his tail, but eventually they found a small room in a part of the medical wing that was labelled as being closed for repairs. They ignored the signs, Harry feeding a burst of magic into the door's lock panel to overload it and force the door open, turning into one of the rooms. Sure enough, Phil Coulson was lying in bed, now awake, looking pale but none the worse for wear. He looked up at their arrival, brow furrowing in confusion. "Wasn't expecting you to all visit at once," he remarked voice soft. Clint let out a choked noise, and Harry heard Natasha exhale quietly.

"You're alive," she breathed, making the man frown.

"Of course I am. I'm not exactly sure how — looking at you there, Harry — but I assure you, I'm fine." He paused as Clint took a shaky step forward, raising an eyebrow at the marksman. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Luke squirmed in Harry's grip, and the Brit set him down on the floor, watching as he dashed over to climb up onto the hospital bed.

"Fury told us you were dead," Bruce volunteered, looking shell-shocked himself. "It was only when Harry here came to visit Tony that we found out what happened. It was, uh, a bit of a shock, to say the least." Phil's eyes went wide, and he cursed under his breath even as he ran fingers through Luke's hair, letting the boy hug him gently.

"I'll be having words with Nick," he said quietly, not looking impressed. "I'm fine, Clint," he added to the archer, meeting his gaze. "Sore, and tired, but fine thanks to Harry." Clint's mouth opened and closed several times, and Harry squeezed his shoulder again.

"Why don't we give them a little privacy, hmm?" he suggested to the others, keeping his voice low. Natasha nodded, immediately moving to herd Steve, Thor and Bruce out of the room. Harry turned to Clint, stepping closer. "You need to tell him," he murmured under his breath. "Let him know how you feel. You got lucky this time. Don't let the chance go to waste." Clint nodded, and Harry thought he might actually do it this time.

While Clint regained the use of his brain, Harry walked over to pick Luke up, the boy having deemed Coulson sufficiently hugged. "I'm glad to see you're okay, Phil," he said with a smile. "I'll talk to you more about what happened later."

"Thank you," the man replied, gaze more on Clint than on Harry even as he spoke to the wizard. "Whatever you did, you saved my life. Thank you."

"Just don't do it again and we're even," Harry replied teasingly, securing Luke on his hip. "I'll leave you two to talk." Giving Clint an encouraging grin, he slipped from the room, leaving the pair alone. The others were gathered outside, and Natasha gave him a slight smile.

"Think they'll finally grow a pair?" she asked, making him laugh.

"I think so, yeah. A scare like that, you take every opportunity you can with both hands," he mused. She nodded in agreement, then smirked.

"If they don't, I'll do it for them," she insisted. Harry snorted, shaking his head. Merlin, what was he getting himself into?

"So those two are…?" Bruce trailed off, his question clearly implied, and Natasha's smirk widened.

"Those two have been dancing around the subject for eight goddamn years," she informed him. Harry tried not to smile as Steve's cheeks coloured when he caught on, but the blonde didn't say anything about it. Though he didn't know him well, Harry liked him already; anyone who was progressive enough to come from the 40s to the current day without having a complete meltdown, and hardly bat an eyelash at him and Tony kissing, was clearly a good guy.

"Excuse me, Mr Captain America?" Luke asked politely, making all the adults grin.

"What's up, kid? And you can just call me Steve, if you want." Steve ducked a little, coming more to Luke's level, and the boy flushed.

"Can I maybe sit on your shoulders please? You're really tall," he mumbled. Steve chuckled, glancing up at Harry, who nodded in confirmation. The ceilings were definitely high enough that Luke wouldn't get hurt, and far be it from him to stop his son in his mission to become best friends with his favourite superhero.

"Sure you can. Hang on a second." Having left his shield in Tony's hospital room, Steve just needed to bend down, allowing Luke to climb onto his shoulders. As he straightened up, Luke gasped, a wide smile crossing his lips.

"Wow," he breathed. "So high up!" Steve chuckled, hands securely on the boy's shins as they began to walk back towards the main medical wing, leaving Clint and Phil to it. They would probably be a while. Harry cut the monitoring charm as it began to alert him of Phil's rising heartbeat, smothering a smile; he didn't need to eavesdrop on that part.

He was startled when his phone rang, bleeping and buzzing in his pocket, and he winced at the photo he had set for Pepper; no one had spoken to her since she'd left for California. "Hey, Pep," he greeted, preparing himself for the worst.

"Really? New York is half destroyed, Tony nearly _dies_ , and all you have to say to me is 'Hey, Pep'?" He grimaced at the rising anger in her voice, ignoring Natasha's amused look.

"I know, I'm sorry. But we're all fine, I promise, and the tower is only a little bit broken. Where are you?""

"At the tower," she replied. "And if this is your definition of 'a little bit broken', I dread to think what you think destroyed looks like. Where are you? Where's Luke?"

"Helicarrier, all three of us. Luke's made a new friend. Tony's in the medical wing, but it's really more of a precaution, he's fine. How are you? And Happy?"

"We're both fine," Pepper confirmed, and he let out a silent sigh of relief. "But we can't get into our rooms. It's not JARVIS, he says it's your fault." Harry grimaced; he'd forgotten about that.

"Right, yeah, sorry." He paused to think about the wards surrounding their home, dropping them to standby. "There you go, should be fine now."

"Yeah, there we go, thanks. Also, I've had about three million emails asking for conferences about the city damage, I don't know what to tell them," she added, making him hum thoughtfully.

"Put us both down for them," he instructed. "I'll put PotterCo in alongside Stark Industries for the repair effort, we might as well lend a hand. We should all be home tonight, with a few guests along. Would you please get in touch with housekeeping to ready any available suites?"

"Guests, huh?" Pepper replied, amused. "I should have known. Sure thing, Harry, and I'll call the contractors too. I'll see you when you get home, we can talk press conferences then. Give the kid a kiss from me, okay? I've missed him." Harry grinned to himself; he was totally off the hook. Pepper wasn't very good at staying mad at him for too long, not anymore.

"You mean you didn't miss me?" he teased, laughing. "Will do, I'll see you later. Bye." He hung up, kissing his fingers and reaching up to press them to Luke's elbow, the highest part of him he could reach. "That's from Aunt Pepper, love. She misses you, but her and Happy are home now so we'll see them tonight."

"Yay! Is Papa coming home with us?" Lucas asked hopefully. The other Avengers looked uneasy, no doubt wondering how to explain that they'd be leaving without Tony, but Harry smirked.

"He definitely is, pup. We just need to bust him out, then go get Phil and Clint and all head home," he declared firmly. Bruce turned to him, surprised.

"Wait, 'all'?" Harry rolled his eyes, giving the man a grin.

"All due respect Dr Banner, did you really think Tony would let you go that easily? Any of you?" Steve looked bashful, and Thor merely confused, and the Brit's smile widened. "He collects people, it's sort of his thing. You might as well just go with it and come back with us, because you can be bloody sure the beds in our guest suites are far better than anything SHIELD might offer you."

"Bad word, Dad," Luke sing-songed, making him laugh.

"Sorry, pup. Now, are you waiting here while I get Tony released into my care, or coming with me?" Harry asked, turning to the rest of the Avengers.

"I graciously accept your invitation of a place to rest, and I am eager to see more of the Man of Iron's magnificent structure," Thor said cheerfully, and Harry couldn't help but swallow a snicker. He hoped the only person seeing Tony's 'magnificent structure' would be him.

"Well, I have nowhere else to be. And I don't trust Fury not to move Phil as soon as we sleep for five minutes," Natasha agreed with a shrug. Harry grinned at her, and turned back towards Tony's room, knocking once on the door before heading in anyway.

"Hello, you. Ready to go?" There was a nurse changing Tony's bandages, and she looked up with a frown.

"Mr Stark isn't cleared for release," she told him, but Harry merely scoffed.

"He's fine, he's just being a baby. I've looked after him plenty after Iron Man incidents, and I'm medically qualified. I know what I'm doing," he insisted. He wasn't technically qualified, especially not in the muggle world, but he'd done enough medi-magic to have gained his emergency medicare qualification, which was really all he needed to keep an eye on Tony.

"I am all for leaving right now. I want food — hey, JARVIS, send someone to pick us up shawarma, okay?" he added to the AI in his watch, pressing the button on the side. "You remember where the little place was. I don't know what it is, but I want it."

"Order pizza, too," Harry cut in, smiling when Luke cheered from Steve's shoulders.

"Yes, Sirs," JARVIS replied promptly. Tony barely waited for the nurse to finish before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, wincing as his shoulder jarred a little. Harry immediately rushed to his side, sliding an arm around his waist to steady him.

"I'm fine," Tony insisted, kissing his temple before moving away. "Seriously, gorgeous, I'm fine." Harry kept an eye on him as he stood up, and the genius glanced down at himself, grimacing at the scrub trousers he wore. "Can I get some clothes?"

"Mr Stark, I don't recommend discharging yourself until the morning at the very earliest," the nurse started, only to fall silent as Harry transfigured a shirt and some shoes for Tony out of a couple of tissues.

"Those will do you until you get home." Tony grinned in thanks, allowing Harry to help him into the shirt, then glanced up at where his son was sat on Captain America's shoulders.

"Wow, kiddo, you move fast. I'm still your favourite though, right?" Luke grinned, nodding seriously.

"Iron Man is the bestest," he assured.

"Damn straight," Tony agreed with a smirk, reaching to twine his fingers with Harry's. "Now, by my count, we're two short."

"They're having a little heart to heart," Harry supplied, ignoring the speechless nurse as they all left the room.

"They had better be, at least," Natasha piped up, an exasperated look on her face. "If they haven't said anything, I'm shooting them both." Tony snorted, letting the redhead lead the way back to Phil's room. Steve, Bruce and Thor seemed happy to just keep following, but they seemed to be lagging a little. As far as Harry was concerned, the sooner they were all back home and could relax, the better.

Luckily, it didn't look like there was any need for Tasha to shoot anyone; when they went into Phil's room, it was to find Clint squeezed into the bed with him, their shoulders pressed together and smiles on their faces. "Well hey there, lovebirds," Tony greeted, voice oozing with smugness. Both of them flushed faintly, and Harry laughed.

"Grab your coats, you've pulled," he teased, winking at them. "And it's about time, too. Come on, we're all heading back to the tower, and we need a pilot," he said with a look at Clint. Luke gasped, almost falling off Steve's shoulders as he wriggled excitedly.

"I get to go in the jet?" he exclaimed, eyes round.

"You bet, kid," Tony confirmed. "Hurry up, before my nurse cries to Fury and he tries to glare us into staying."

"Is Phil okay to leave?" Clint asked in concern, getting up from the bed and shoving his feet back into his boots.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Harry promised. "And we have all sorts of fun drugs back at the tower."

"Uh, those are mine," Tony started, shutting up when Harry kissed him.

"And you can share," the wizard assured. Between Clint and Natasha, they managed to get Phil into some hastily transfigured shoes and a shirt similar to Tony's — Harry's transfiguration had never been very creative — and the archer led them through to the jet hangar so that they wouldn't run into anyone who was likely to stop him. It wasn't long before they were all crowded in one of the smaller jets, Luke reluctantly having crawled down from Steve's shoulders in order to be strapped into a chair for take-off. Harry sat down beside Tony on one of the benches running along the low wall, resting his head on his partner's uninjured shoulder. "I've missed you," he murmured softly. "Longest we've been apart since we moved in together."

"Missed you too, gorgeous. I promise I'll show you just how much once it doesn't hurt to breathe," Tony promised, draping an arm around him and pulling him close. "But I'm still pissed at you for coming back to New York."

"Yell at me when we get home," Harry muttered, eyes falling shut as the adrenaline began to fade now the danger was long over. Tony's fingers tangled in his hair, making him smile faintly.

He didn't have time to properly fall asleep before they were landing gently on the roof of the tower — not that they had a landing pad, but Clint didn't seem to care — and Harry took Lucas' hand as they stepped out. Unsurprisingly, Pepper was up waiting for them, and she wrapped Tony in a firm hug as soon as she saw him, mindful of his injuries. "Never do that again," she pleaded, making him laugh as he kissed her forehead.

"No promises, Pepper Pot." Harry grinned as he was hugged next, Pepper scolding him under her breath as she did so. When she pulled away, she turned to look at the rest of the group, eyes wide.

"Oh my God, Phil, what happened to you?" she asked, seeing how pale the man looked, and taking in his hospital attire.

"It's… a long story," the agent settled up eventually, leaning heavily into Clint's side.

"Hey!" They all turned at the call, seeing Happy stood in the doorway to the elevator. "Food's here, you coming or what?" Stomachs rumbling, the dishevelled group made for the elevator, squeezing inside with only a little difficulty.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm in desperate need of a shower," Tony remarked, frowning slightly. "Pep, would you show everyone to their rooms and stuff? And keep an eye on the kid?"

"How about I take Luke down to get first pick of the pizza?" Happy offered with a grin, which widened when the boy cheered. "Family dining room?"

"Sounds good," Harry agreed, shuffling forward as the elevator doors opened on their floor. He, Tony, Happy and Luke got out, the bodyguard taking the five year-old to find food while Harry and Tony made for their bedroom, Harry's shoulders slumping once his son was out of sight. "Merlin, I'm exhausted," he murmured, kicking his shoes off and sitting on the edge of the bed. Tony slipped off the transfigured shoes, and with a quick twitch they were tissues once more.

"Yeah, well, that'll happen when you run around New York fighting aliens and using ten times more magic than you usually do," Tony remarked, voice slightly icy. Harry winced.

"My magical core is enormous, Tony, I'm nowhere near drained," he pointed out. Though he had to admit, if only to himself, he needed to get back into the habit of keeping up his magical skills. Especially if he was going to need them to protect his family, should the Avengers really get going. They'd be in far more danger than they were with Tony being Iron Man on his own.

"Yes, but you still haven't used your magic properly in years! It's like a muscle, it gets stiff with lack of use, and yours could have given out on you at any moment! Damn it, Harry, that's exactly why I told you to stay safe!"

"It didn't!" Harry retorted, getting up and helping his lover out of his t-shirt. Just because he was annoyed didn't mean he was going to just let him struggle with that shoulder injury. "I know my capabilities, Tony, and I wasn't going to just let people _die_." He choked as his throat went dry, swallowing hard. "I spent so much of my childhood standing back and staying safe while other people died, because _I_ was the target, and I had to be protected at all costs. For once, no one knew who I was, I wasn't putting people in danger by helping! I couldn't stand back and hole myself up again." Tony stepped out of his scrub trousers, pressing his forehead to Harry's with his eyes closed.

"I'm glad you're safe," he murmured. "I love you, and I'm glad neither of us died, but God, Harry, I just… I'm so mad at you right now, I just keep thinking about what would have happened if you'd died out there, if I'd come home to find you gone and Luke in England and had _no one_. So don't… don't try and calm me down. I need a minute." Harry felt his cheeks growing wet, and grit his teeth against the emotion. He hated being the one to cause that hurt expression on his lover's face.

"I'll wait here," he assured quietly, letting Tony go after placing bubble charms on his bandages, hearing the shower turn on as the American walked into the bathroom. Harry went back to the bed, lying on his back, and let his shirt ride up enough so he could place a hand on his belly, letting out a long sigh. He understood where Tony was coming from, he did, but… he couldn't be sorry about helping people. Tony needed to know that he could take care of himself. Besides, it was an unusual situation; it wasn't like he was applying to join the Avengers.

Tony didn't take long in the shower, coming out with a towel around his hips and looking much better for it, and Harry sat up, holding up a hand before the older man could talk. "I know what you're going to say," he began, wiping at his cheeks. "And I know. I have Luke to think about, and it was irresponsible of me to have both of us in danger when he's waiting at home. But Tony, the only reason Phil is alive now is because I ignored your words and went back. I saved so many people today, I can't apologise for that, I won't."

"I'm not asking you to!" Tony protested, stalking over to the closet to dig out some jeans. "I just wish I could know that if something like this happens again you'll actually fucking _listen_ when I tell you to stay safe, because I don't know how I can cope trying to fight while knowing you could be out there in danger somewhere."

"Things will be different then," Harry replied patiently. "And I doubt anything of this scale will happen again."

"But you don't know that!" Tony argued, cheeks flushed with anger as he shrugged into a button-up shirt, leaving it open. "Anything could happen, what makes you think things will be so different? You're not sixteen anymore, Harry, and these aren't Death Eaters!" Harry pushed himself to his feet, glaring in frustration.

"Don't you think I know that? Fuck, Tony, I know I don't use my magic much but that doesn't mean I'm incapable! Hell, my magic is twice as powerful now than it is normally, there's no way I could drain myself in just a day!" He'd only ever drained himself once in his life, and that was after defeating Voldemort.

"Twice as powerful?" Tony asked skeptically, eyebrows raised an arms folded over his chest. "That's a new one. Go on, dazzle me with your brilliance, how did you manage to get your core to double?"

"I'm pregnant!" Harry blurted, watching as Tony's eyes went wide. "Pregnancy doubles a witch or wizard's core in order to protect the baby and help it develop its own core. I was going to tell you, once we'd settled more and everything was sorted, but then… this happened." He wouldn't tell Tony that pregnancy also caused his core to become more unstable with excess magic use; what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Whatever Tony had been planning on arguing was completely lost as he stared at his lover, stunned. Harry bit his lip nervously; he hadn't meant to say that. He'd meant to break it to Tony gently, not yell it at him halfway through a fight. "Pregnant?" the American breathed, the word almost reverent. "You're… there's a baby in there?" His gaze dropped to Harry's stomach, and Harry lifted his shirt, smiling when Tony's hand reached out to brush fingertips over his abdomen.

"It's not quite a baby yet, I'm only eight weeks. But… it will be." He placed his hand over Tony's, looking earnestly at his partner as he stepped closer. "I'm sorry for breaking my promise, and I'm sorry I made you worry. Next time, I'll let you and the others save the world, I swear. Just… can't we just write this up as a really shit day and move on?" Tony choked out a laugh, meeting Harry's eyes.

"We're having another kid," he said softly, awed. He didn't seem to have listened to a word Harry had said, still transfixed on his stomach. "I'm gonna be a dad again?"

"Yeah, we're having another one," Harry agreed, unable to stop himself smiling. "You're happy about this, right?" Tony snorted, pulling him into a firm kiss and sliding his arm around his waist.

" _So_ happy," he murmured, eyes lighting up once he pulled away. "God, Harry, I can't — Marry me." Harry's jaw dropped; had he heard him right?

"What?" Tony grinned, hand on Harry's hip, thumb sneaking around to stroke the skin of his stomach, no doubt imagining the life growing beneath.

"Marry me. We said we weren't gonna rush but goddamn I want to be able to say I married the most amazing bastard on the planet. I want tuxes and flowers and dancing and whatever the fuck else they have at weddings, the whole shebang. I want Luke to have the Stark name and our new kid to have the Stark name, and most importantly I want you to be my _husband_. God, I never thought I'd want it this much, but I feel like I'll die if you don't say you'll do it."

"You'd better start looking at rings, then," Harry replied, trying and failing not to beam like a lunatic. "And we'll need to work fast if we want it to happen before I start showing too much for glamours to cover." Tony hardly let him finish, pulling him into a fierce kiss, and Harry wrapped his arms around the man as he melted into it. It wasn't the proposal he'd ever expected, not from Tony Stark, but it was more perfect than any fancy, extravagant gesture could have been. "So you're not mad anymore?" he checked when they parted, and Tony let out a short laugh.

"Mad? Sure, later I will be — you went into danger while carrying a _child_ , God — but right now I don't even know what mad is, I just got _engaged_. C'mon, let's go tell the kid, and Pep and Happy. And damn, I'll have to call Rhodey soon, he'll _kill_ me if he's the last to know." Harry chuckled, letting Tony drag him by the hand out of the room, both of them grinning like teenagers as they made for the family dining room. Harry hadn't realised how long they'd been taking, but the room was already full of people, and half the food was gone. Clearly everyone had found their rooms okay, as they were cleaner, though Thor and Steve were back in their uniforms out of lack of anything else to wear; everyone else was wearing something of Harry's, Tony's or Pepper's. Pepper looked up when she saw them, raising her eyebrows at their facial expressions.

"It's about time you two showed up," Clint remarked around a mouthful of pizza, Coulson tucked against his chest. "You'll be lucky to get any food, these guys are _machines_ ," he added, gesturing to Steve, Thor and Bruce.

"Why do you look so happy?" Pepper asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing. "That's never a good sign." Harry laughed, breaking away from Tony to go over to his son, picking him up and spinning him around.

"How would you feel about a little brother or sister, pup?" he asked breathlessly, relishing in the collective intake of breath from the rest of the room.

"You're pregnant again?" Pepper asked in shock, earning a wide grin.

"Eight weeks," Harry confirmed. "And I know, not the best condition to be going into battle with, but I was wearing armour." He doubted that would make her let it go, but hopefully the good news would make everyone forget for a little while.

"And could you call in to the officials at that fancy ballroom I really liked at that Christmas thing last year and ask about reservation prices? I like the sound of a December wedding, don't you, gorgeous?" Tony added with a glance towards Harry, a smirk at his lips. Luke gasped, hands gripping his father's shoulders.

"You're getting married?" he queried, vibrating with excitement in Harry's grasp.

"We're getting married, love," Harry told him, kissing his cheek. "If that's all right with you, of course?" He didn't want to do anything without Luke's permission, if the boy thought they were moving too fast. He was slightly winded as the boy's arms wrapped tightly around his neck, near-strangling him.

"Best early Christmas present _ever_!" he declared vehemently. "Papa, you should get married in the Iron Man, that would be so _cool_." Tony laughed, ducking in to steal his child from Harry's arms, kissing his forehead.

"I like your style, but it would be a little hard to dance with your dad in that suit," he teased. Harry looked up at Pepper, wanting to see her reaction to the news, and she grinned at him, pulling him into a hug.

"Guess I should break out the champagne, huh?" she remarked. "And we've probably got some sparkling grape juice around here somewhere."

"Just water for me is fine," Harry insisted. "But yeah, champagne would be good. We've got a lot to celebrate."

"We shall feast!" Thor announced, voice booming through the room as he smiled widely at them both. "To the union of Harry and Anthony, and the good health of their offspring!"

"Congrats, boss," Happy piped up, clapping Tony gently on the shoulder. Tony winked at him, eyeing the way the man's other hand rested on Pepper's waist.

"It had better be you, next," he said playfully, watching his bodyguard redden. "Or maybe the happy couple over there." Clint merely smirked back, lifting his slice of pizza in toast.

"We wouldn't wanna steal your thunder," he joked, turning his head to press a smacking kiss to Coulson's lips. "Maybe next year." Harry laughed, winding an arm around Tony as he set Luke back in his chair, Pepper heading off to find some champagne. Congratulations were called out, and Harry couldn't help but smile as Tony's hand slid around to rest on his stomach, imagining it doing so when there was actually a proper sign of his pregnancy there; right now there was just a little less definition in his abs.

There was still so much to do; the tower had to be repaired, _New York_ had to be repaired. Loki would have to be sorted out. There were a million and one things that needed attention, and no doubt they would get no sleep over the next few months. He and Tony would probably revisit the argument of Harry's recklessness, when things had died down and they were over the wedding-and-baby hype, but Harry would take it all as it came. He was planning a life with Tony Stark, for Merlin's sake; he could hardly expect it to be all clear sailing.

Tony kissed his temple, tugging him towards the table piled in food, and the pair of them grabbed chairs close by, sitting with their shoulders touching as Pepper passed out champagne glasses, giving Harry a flute full of water and one of apple juice to Luke. "To Tony and Harry!" she declared, beaming as she raised her glass. "It's a good thing you have each other, because no one else in the world is crazy enough to deal with either of you. Congratulations." The couple laughed as a cheer went out, followed by the crunching of glass as Thor accidentally crushed his champagne flute in his hand. Harry snickered at the apologetic look on the god's face.

"Is this really our life now?" Tony murmured amusedly, watching as the Asgardian coaxed Steve into an eating contest with the small mountain of shawarma on the table. "Is this going to be the people we surround ourselves with?" Harry snorted, kissing him briefly.

"Afraid so, love. But don't lie, you wouldn't have it any other way." He reached for a slice of pizza, suddenly realising how ravenous he was. He was eating for two, after all. Tony hummed, squeezing him around the waist.

"I'll deny it to my dying day," he said solemnly, making Harry grin. Yeah, it might have been some pretty shitty circumstances to bring them together, but he rather thought they'd made the best of it. And, really, things could only go uphill from there.


	35. Chapter 35

Harry ran a hand through his hair, trying not to look overtly frustrated as Tony actually _walked him to the sofa_. "For Merlin's sake, Tony, I'm only nine weeks pregnant, I'm hardly even showing yet! You're being ridiculous."

"Not taking any chances," Tony declared stubbornly, hand sliding briefly across Harry's stomach. Harry rolled his eyes, giving the man a pointed look.

"So I suppose we're not going to have any sex between now and when the baby's born, hmm? If you don't want to take chances." Tony swallowed, looking pained, and Harry smirked.

"Okay, yeah, that's a chance I'm willing to take." Harry got to his feet, pulling Tony into a soft kiss.

"I'm fine, love," he insisted gently. "I've got an appointment with my healer booked for next week, and this isn't my first rodeo. When everyone's in and settled we can have a family meeting on all the dos and don'ts, if that would make you feel better?" The American snickered, lips quirking.

"Family meeting, huh? I like the sound of that," he drawled, pressing his lips to Harry's once more. Harry wound an arm around his neck, their chests pressing together, deepening the kiss.

"Oh, you're not at it again, are you?" The green-eyed wizard laughed into his lover's mouth, pulling away to see Remus stood in the doorway with a fondly exasperated look on his face. "He's already pregnant, Tony, you don't need to keep trying so hard." The werewolf had come to stay and help Harry with Luke while Tony was healing up and working on the logistics of rebuilding the city, but Harry was steadily winning him over on the idea of staying for the duration of the pregnancy; and perhaps longer, if he could manage it.

"I can't help it, he's glowing already," Tony insisted, stroking a thumb down Harry's cheek and grinning when the younger man blushed.

"Yes, well, you might want to take a cold shower or something before everyone starts arriving. I believe your Asgardian friend is on his way; Miss Foster called ahead to let us know," Remus added, amused. Harry leaned into Tony's side, smiling.

"Brilliant, Luke will be pleased. Where is he, by the way?" Last time he'd seen his son, it had been in the kitchen, baking cookies with Remus in preparation for their new arrivals. A week after the battle with Loki, and the rest of the Avengers had finally run out of excuses to delay moving in to Stark Tower. Loki had been taken back to Asgard, and as far as SHIELD were concerned the Avengers had gone their separate ways; they all, Phil included, decided that Fury didn't need to know about the change in address. Thor was the biggest surprise, all of them having expected him to stay in Asgard due to the vast amount of power needed to make the jump without the Bifrost. But the blonde had turned up a day after, apparently having made a very convincing case to the Allfather about why he should stay on Midgard, and went to visit Jane Foster with the promise to move in to Stark Tower when he returned.

"In his room," Remus supplied. "I think he's figuring out which of his Captain America toys to show Steve first." Harry snorted, sharing a grin with Tony. Luke had talked of absolutely nothing but three things over the past week; the wedding, the baby, and Captain America. Harry just hoped Steve was prepared for living full-time with two of his biggest fans — though Phil, Clint had assured him, was leaving his vintage Cap merch in storage.

The conversation was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder, and all three of them glanced up at the ceiling. "Thor's here."

"Would you like me to direct him to you, sir?" JARVIS asked politely.

"Please, J." They all turned at the sound of quick footsteps, and Luke emerged from the hallway with a wide grin on his face.

"They're coming!" he exclaimed, throwing himself onto the sofa in his excitement. Harry picked him up, swinging him easily onto his back with a smile.

"Just Thor for now, kid. But I'm sure the others will be here soon." The elevator door opened, and Thor stepped out, beaming as he spotted them.

"My friends! Your invisible servant is most helpful; what sort of sorcery is he?" He was dressed in jeans and a plain grey t-shirt, clearly given to him by his girlfriend, and Harry wondered how he was going to cope through the 'insatiably horny' stage of his pregnancy with so many attractive men wandering about the place. None of the Avengers were particularly hard on the eyes, and he just hoped Tony was prepared for what was to come.

"Not magic, science," he corrected with a smile. "He's a computer; I'm sure Tony will explain him to you if you want to know more. Oh," he paused, turning to nudge Remus forward. "Thor, this is my godfather, Remus. Remus, this is Thor Odinson, Prince of Asgard." Remus offered a short bow, a warm smile on his face.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you." Thor grinned, striding forward to clap Remus on the shoulder, surprised when he didn't buckle under the pressure.

"You are stronger than you look!" he declared, making Remus' smile widen a fraction.

"I'm a werewolf," he replied. "We're full of hidden strengths." Thor's eyes went wide in fascination, and Harry stifled a laugh as Remus was bombarded with questions. Apparently they had wargs and shifters in Asgard, but they were vastly different.

"Hey, big guy, where's the rest of your stuff?" Tony cut in, eyeing the small rucksack with a frown. Thor's brow furrowed.

"This is everything I own in this realm," he said, perplexed. "Lady Jane assured me that much of my Asgardian attire would not be appropriate."

"Okay, yeah, I need to introduce you to the wonders of shopping malls and unlimited credit cards," the billionaire decided. "And has Jane taught you about the internet, yet?" Thor nodded, almost puppy-like in his enthusiasm.

"Lady Darcy has introduced me to the book of faces, and the incredible all-knowing Google machine," he replied. Harry stifled a laugh, smiling at the tall man.

"We'll get you up to speed nice and quick. Why don't you go get settled in your rooms? JARVIS will tell you where to go. Just come back up here when you're ready; we're all going to have dinner together." Thor nodded, heading back to the elevator, and Remus snorted when the man was gone.

"We're going to have to lock me up tight next moon," he remarked. "It sounds like Thor wants to see a Midgardian werewolf in person."

"I don't know, we could let him at it. You've got the potion, and even if you snap he could probably take you," Harry reasoned, shrugging. Remus didn't look convinced, but was saved answering by JARVIS telling them Steve had just parked his bike in the garage. Harry winced as he was kicked in the sides as Luke flailed excitedly, and Tony caught the expression, hastily taking Luke off Harry's back.

"Whoa, there, kiddo; remember, it's not just your dad you're kicking there," he pointed out playfully, though there was a measure of seriousness in his eyes that had Luke frowning apologetically.

"It's fine, pup, honestly. Tony, put him down, you'll wrench your shoulder again," Harry fussed; Tony was out of the sling, but still had some muscle issues to heal up. Tony rolled his eyes, but set Luke down on the sofa, only for him to jump off as soon as the elevator doors opened. Steve looked vaguely shell-shocked, despite having visited the tower multiple times since the first night.

"Do you actually _drive_ all those cars and bikes down there?" he asked incredulously by way of greeting, and Tony smirked.

"Most of them. Some of them I built because I was bored. A couple are Rhodey's for when he comes to visit. One is Harry's that he refuses to drive," he added, giving his partner an accusing look.

"I like my bike, Tony," Harry retorted with a roll of his eyes, having had the argument multiple times. "And if I'm going anywhere with more than just me, either you or Happy is around to drive." Tony stuck his tongue out childishly, making Steve grin.

"Well, uh, thanks again for inviting me here," he started, only for Harry to wave him off.

"Our pleasure, honestly. We just hope you know what you're getting into with this little menace here," he added, reaching out to ruffle Luke's hair playfully, laughing when the boy blushed and ducked away.

"Da-ad!" he groaned, glaring, before turning to Steve with wide puppy eyes. "Mr Steve, d'you wanna come see my room?" he asked hopefully. Steve looked taken-aback, and Harry set a hand on his son's shoulder, smiling gently.

"Why don't we let Steve get settled in first, hmm? I'm sure he'd love to come see your room after dinner," he suggested, earning a grateful smile. "Is that all you have?" he asked, gesturing to the duffle bag slung over Steve's shoulder. The blonde shrugged sheepishly, nodding.

"I haven't exactly had much of a chance to go out," he admitted. "SHIELD kept me pretty well hidden. I've been living in issued gear, pretty much."

"Yeah, we'll fix that. I'm taking Thor out sometime, you can come too," Tony offered. Steve looked genuinely pleased at the offer, and Harry didn't have the heart to tell him that shopping with Tony was not something he should be pleased about. He loved the man, but Tony would almost definitely take the opportunity to mock him and try and convince him that he had to buy outrageous things because they were 'the fashion'. Maybe he'd talk to Pepper about going along to babysit.

Steve vanished to go set himself up in his room, and Harry sunk down onto the sofa, curling his feet up underneath him. "You okay?" Tony asked immediately, concern in his voice. Harry rolled his eyes, giving Remus a despairing look as the man merely laughed at him.

"Tony, stop fretting, I am _fine_ ," he stressed. "I just want to sit down a bit, is all. Save your worrying for when I'm eight months along and going on bed rest."

"You'll have to go on bed rest?" Harry groaned at the alarm in his partner's tone, pulling Tony down to sit with him.

"I have done this before," he said slowly. "I will have my healer with me every step of the way — he's even agreed to relocate his family out here when I'm a little further along, so I don't have to apparate or floo or anything. You can calm down because I swear to God, if you're like this my entire pregnancy you will be sleeping on the couch for the next seven months, _and_ taking night feeds the first year." Tony winced, leaning in for a kiss.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I just… you've done this before, but I haven't. I don't want anything to go wrong with this one." Harry frowned, guilt gnawing at him at the man's words. He couldn't really blame Tony for being excited and overprotective about it.

"Nothing's going to go wrong," he promised, stroking a hand over Tony's goatee. "Healer Thompson can walk you through everything at the appointment, it'll be fine. Why don't you channel some of that nervous energy into helping Pepper with the wedding arrangements, hmm?" It was difficult to start getting everything together quickly, without letting the public know. They were planning an announcement when the city was back on its feet a little more.

Tony grinned, kissing him chastely. "I'll try," he agreed. "But let me freak out a little sometimes, okay? I'm new to this." Harry nodded, letting Tony manhandle him gently into cuddling position, Luke scrambling up to join them. He really had to cut the genius some slack; he couldn't blame him, being so paranoid. Not after everything that had happened. Hopefully he'd ease off after the appointment, once they had proof that the baby was fine and growing normally.

.-.

Clint, Phil and Natasha arrived about half an hour after Steve had, quietly and without fanfare, just setting themselves up in a pair of adjoining suites and having JARVIS tell the family upstairs. Harry wasn't surprised when Luke declared he was going to go visit them, trusting the AI to keep an eye on his son long enough for him to get into Clint and Phil's care. It was sweet, really; no matter how much Luke idolised Steve, Clint was still his favourite of the Avengers — excluding Tony, of course. The archer just had a way with kids, and Phil had a soft spot a mile wide for the five year-old that he would never admit to. Harry secretly hoped the pair would have their own somewhere down the line, especially now they were finally a couple.

"Sirs, Dr Banner has arrived," JARVIS declared in the kitchen, where the small family was gathered to cook dinner. Or, rather, watch Remus cook dinner and try to stop Luke from sneaking chopped vegetables off the counter. The boy had eventually been coaxed away from his new best friends, Harry aware that they needed a little alone time. He was perched on Harry's lap at the kitchen table, helping arrange bread rolls on a plate.

"Great, send him up," Tony requested, a grin on his face.

"Give him a day's grace before you kidnap him for science reasons, okay, love?" Harry teased. Tony huffed, pecking him on the cheek.

"Twelve hours," he bargained playfully. "Hey, kiddo, put that down, you can wait until dinner," he added, seeing Luke about to stuff a roll in his mouth. The boy pouted, but obediently set the roll back on the plate.

"Uh, hello? Is anyone around?" Bruce called warily from out in the living room.

"Kitchen!" Tony yelled in reply. "Just follow the smell of food!" Sure enough, Bruce stuck his head in a few moments later, a shy smile on his face.

"Hi. It, uh, smells great in here," he added, shifting nervously in the doorway. He too had a small duffle over his shoulder, though far more battered and ragged than Steve's. Harry was starting to sense a pattern; maybe a team shopping trip wasn't actually a bad idea. Bonding and all that.

"Thanks, I hope you like lasagne," Remus replied cheerfully. "I wasn't sure what everyone's preferences were, so there's a meat one and a vegetarian one."

"This is my godfather Remus, Bruce," Harry introduced, smiling in an attempt to put the man at ease. "Why don't you come join us? Dinner should be ready in about half an hour, there's not much point in sending you downstairs only to drag you back up again."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude," Bruce started, only for Tony to shake his head, getting up to half-drag him further into the room.

"Not intruding, come on, sugarplum. Sit." Haranguing Bruce into a chair, he took his place back at Harry's side, grinning. "Harry's making me wait until tomorrow to show you the labs, but you're gonna love it, it's great. Oh, and I was brainstorming the other night; how do you feel about stretchy Hulk pants?"

"Stretchy… Hulk pants?" Bruce repeated questioningly.

"Yeah, I mean, it can't be fun waking up buck-ass naked every time you switch out, right? And those trousers looked a little precarious on the Hulk the other week. No offence to either of you, but jolly green's junk is not something we want making an appearance on the evening news," Tony added wryly, making the man flush.

"Tony," Remus called chidingly from where he was chopping tomatoes for a salad. "Be nice."

"Hey, I'm just saying!" Tony protested innocently. "It's a legitimate concern."

"No science at the dinner table," Harry insisted. "He's all yours tomorrow, but give him a break for now, he just got in." It had been hard enough convincing Bruce to stay, they didn't want to scare him away so soon.

"Is the Hulk like Uncle Remus?" Luke queried, inquisitive eyes turned on Tony.

"Not quite, pup," Remus replied with an easy smile. "Dr Banner has more freedom of control over the change. I can't shift outside of the moon cycle."

"Think of it like… an animagus," Harry reasoned slowly, trying to think of a way to explain. "But instead of changing whenever you want, you change when you get really angry, or really scared." Luke nodded in comprehension, turning a bright grin on the scientist opposite him.

"You should meditate with us," he declared. "It helps for Uncle Remus, so maybe it'll help you too."

"Oh, I, uh, meditate a lot already. Why…?" Bruce trailed off, looking perplexed as he eyed Remus.

"I'm a werewolf," the sandy-haired man volunteered. "I only change on the full moon, and there's a potion that allows me to keep control now, but I still have enhanced strength year-round, and I have to keep a pretty tight rein on my emotions. And meditating helps Luke gain better control of his magic from an early age; we thought it would be best to get him into the habit while he's young." The plan was to introduce him to Occlumency when he was older, but not for a long while yet.

Bruce looked surprised, and almost _hopeful_ at the revelation, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "Werewolves exist?"

"Oh, yeah. Werewolves, vampires, dragons, unicorns; all real. You name it, it probably exists." Remus paused, his smile softening. "So really, when you think about it, your greener side isn't too unusual. Cub, would you mind giving me a hand with these, please?" he asked, but Harry grimaced as he had to stop Luke climbing onto the table.

"Little busy here, Moony."

"I can help," Bruce offered, jumping to his feet and leaving his duffle by his chair. "I cook a lot, or at least, I used to. Just tell me what to do." He joined Remus at the counter, taking up a knife and grabbing an onion as instructed. Aware of how much Thor, Steve and Bruce could eat — and how much he himself ate — Remus was cooking several large lasagnes, as well as some pasta dishes, garlic bread, normal bread, and enough salad to feed an army, plus Luke's cookies and chocolate torte for dessert courtesy of Harry. It was a good thing they had an industrial kitchen.

As the two chopped and cooked, they started chatting quietly, Bruce asking more about the process of werewolf transformations, and offering up a few titbits of information about his own Hulk transformations. Harry's eyes widened a fraction as he saw the hint of a smile on his godfather's face as he talked with the scientist, and Bruce's shoulders relaxing a little. "You see that, right?" Tony asked under his breath, leaning in so close his lips brushed Harry's ear.

"Oh, yeah," he murmured in reply, smirking. Maybe it would be a little easier to persuade Remus to stick around past the end of his pregnancy, if Bruce was around.

The little family of three kept themselves busy at the table as Bruce and Remus talked, occasionally chuckling softly, their heads ducked together while they cooked. It was kind-of adorable, and Harry hoped JARVIS was recording it for posterity. Maybe having the Avengers around would be good for more than just him, Tony and Luke.

Luke squirmed to get down, so Harry let him, keeping a careful eye on the boy as he went to grab his Stark console off the breakfast bar where he'd left it earlier, climbing into a chair of his own to start playing. Tony shuffled his chair closer, winding one arm around Harry's shoulders while his other hand went to slide up the man's shirt, cupping the faint curve of flesh there. Harry rolled his eyes, but couldn't help smiling; Tony loved touching his stomach so much it was insane, stroking and kissing it whenever he got the chance. "Maybe we should rename this place the love shack," he joked quietly. "With us, and Pepper and Happy, and the lovebirds, and now these two hitting it off. All we need is for Jane to come move in with us and we're all set."

"What about Steve and Natasha?" Harry asked lightly, trying not to let Tony's thumb stroking his stomach affect him too much. Not with Remus in the room, with that nose of his. And from what he knew of Bruce, the man could smell emotions too. Maybe that was why there was some heavy duty flirting going on over by the oven; both parties could smell the attraction, so there was very little uncertainty.

"That can be our next job. Avengers Dating Service," Tony remarked, making Harry snigger. He twisted his head, capturing Tony's lips.

"Don't start meddling," he murmured. "Leave Remus and Bruce alone; they'll sort things out." He'd tease Remus to hell and back about it when they were in private later.

"I can hear you both, you know," Remus called across flatly, sending them both into snickers. "And I'll be having words with you later."

"What are they saying?" Bruce asked curiously. The werewolf shook his head, smiling.

"Never mind, they're just being immature. Dinner's ready, by the way, if you want to call the others up, JARVIS." The AI murmured a quiet affirmation, and Harry got to his feet, stepping forward to help with carrying dishes through to the dining room.

"Why don't you carry the salad, bright eyes, I'll get the hot dishes," Tony started, only for Harry to elbow him out of the way, huffing.

"Out of the two of us, Tony Stark, you're more likely to drop something, with that shoulder of yours. I'm fine. Come on, pup, nice and steady." Luke had the important burden of the large plate of rolls, and was carrying it carefully as he followed Remus and Bruce, Harry and Tony bringing up the rear. One by one, the Avengers, Pepper and Happy emerged from their rooms, all looking in good spirits.

"Damn, you guys, this looks amazing," Clint remarked, eyeing the spread laid out.

"Yes, well, nothing like a good home-cooked meal to say welcome to the family," Harry joked, grinning. "Go ahead everyone, tuck in." He sat between Tony and Luke, with Clint on Luke's other side. Everyone pulled up a chair, and there was chaos for several minutes as plates and dishes were passed around, mindful of their heat; it was almost like being at a Weasley dinner. He said as much to Tony, who had endured a few in his time as Harry's partner, and the man snorted.

"I'm not being glared at, so I'd say it's much better," he replied. Remus, who had evidently been listening in from across the table where he sat between Pepper and Bruce, chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"Just wait until you tell them about the new baby," he mused. "Even Molly will love you then." Harry had yet to tell anyone back in England about the baby or the engagement, wanting to go over in person, and was planning to do so the day of his appointment.

As he dug in to his meal, the food thankfully agreeing with the baby as well, Harry looked around the table, amazed at how quickly the people there had become so important in his life. He hoped desperately they could become as close as the group of people he had in England; with Luke considering them his aunts and uncles, and any kids they might have his cousins. All living under one roof, however large that roof, would bring them closer together. It was nice, really; their suite always felt too big for just the three of them, and the nights they had Pepper and Happy with them had always been Harry's favourite. Now they had plenty of people to share the space with, to be a family. And, he mused, glancing down at his own stomach, that family would soon be expanding. He couldn't wait.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the end. Thank you so much to everyone who has read, commented, bookmarked, kudos-ed and generally enjoyed this story; I hope you guys had as much fun reading as I did writing!

September 1st, 2015

.-.

"Dad, hurry up, we're gonna miss the train!" Luke whined, tugging on his father's hand. Harry laughed, rolling his eyes at his son's urgency.

"We've got plenty of time, it's not even half past yet!" he pointed out lightly. They were too large a group to be discreet, but thanks to several well-placed notice-me-not charms they were undisturbed by muggles as they made their way towards the wall leading to Platform 9 ¾. Tony eyed it skeptically as they came to a halt in front of it, turning to his husband.

"So we just walk straight through it?" he checked, making Harry smile.

"Exactly that. Who wants to go first?" There was silence from the gathered group, and Harry sighed, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Oh, honestly," Remus muttered. "We'll go." He tugged Bruce forward by the hand, their daughter skipping alongside them, her light blonde braid bouncing against her back. Emily was ten, and had been with them for four years, after her parents had been killed in an auror raid. Remus had taken one look at her while visiting Kingsley and had instantly fallen in love, and it hadn't taken long for Bruce to do the same. Due to his age, and the werewolf gene, it was impossible for Remus to bear his own children; Emily had been their little miracle.

The trio stepped forward, Remus leading his partner and daughter confidently towards the wall, stepping through without even a flinch. Harry turned to the rest of the group, raising an eyebrow at them. "Happy now? Come on, kid, let's go see if the others are here yet." He squeezed Luke's hand, and as they made for the wall, Tony joined them swiftly, hitching five year-old Sophia Lily Marie Stark further up his hip. She was squirming with excitement as they walked onto the platform, looking every which way at the crowds of people gathered. It was just as Harry remembered it; bustling with excitement and nervous energy, kids of all ages saying goodbye to their parents and happily greeting their friends after a summer apart. Turning back to check the rest of their group got through okay, he smiled at Remus, who jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Everyone's over there, look," he pointed out, drawing Harry's attention to the enormous crowd of redheads further up the platform. Vicky was starting her second year, and was either loving or dreading Luke's arrival, depending on when you asked her. The pair still fought as much as they had when they were little, but now they only saw each other once a month or so it wasn't so much of a problem. Harry was expecting many calls home about his son's behaviour in regards to his 'cousin', especially if he ended up in Gryffindor with her.

"Brilliant, let's go." With Steve pushing Luke's trolley along, him and Natasha being the only ones not keeping an eye on kids, they headed for the group with Luke running ahead to go greet his Weasley cousins. Tony and Harry let him, keeping an eye on him as he was bundled in a hug by Charlie.

"When did our group end up with so many kids?" Tony asked wryly, making Harry laugh.

"When we all started growing up and settling down," he teased. The Avengers were still active, though they often worked alongside younger heroes, aware that most of them wouldn't be around forever. There were certainly enough around that they knew, should they ever need to retire, they wouldn't be leaving the world undefended.

"Alright, mate," Neville greeted brightly, coming to hug Harry as he grew closer. Luna leaned up to peck his cheek, then turned to Tony, kissing his cheek and immediately stealing Sophia from him, grinning at the girl.

"Hello little one," she cooed, dotting kisses on her face. "It's been far, far too long since I've seen you." Harry allowed his daughter to be kidnapped by his friend, making his rounds to greet everyone else. He hadn't seem them in a long time, and he'd missed them.

Quite sure that everyone already knew each other, Harry wrapped an arm around Tony's waist as he chatted to Ron and Hermione, relishing in the feel of family around him. He was going to miss Luke like crazy when he was at Hogwarts, but having the others around, and plenty of kids still running about Avengers Tower, was definitely going to help. "I think it's time," Phil remarked softly from behind Tony's shoulder, watching indulgently as his son showed off to a small crowd of Weasley girls, all of whom were absolutely enamoured by the eight year-old mutant boy. Phil and Clint had adopted him just over three years ago, and he had grown from a skittish, shy boy into a confident little charmer, every bit Clint Barton's son, with all of Phil Coulson's calm and organisational skills. His power was water manipulation, and he was currently creating little fountains and animals with the water he always carried around in a bottle clipped to his belt, much to his audience's delight.

"Does it have to be?" Harry asked, resting his head on Tony's shoulder. "Where is he, anyway?" He turned, hunting for his son, and frowned when he saw him with his arms around his sister and Becky Hogan, Pepper and Happy's four year-old daughter. Both girls were crying, and Harry approached tentatively, concern on his face.

"Don't want you to go, Luke," Sophia sobbed into her brother's shoulder, and he kissed the top of her head.

"I'll be back at Christmas, Soph," he soothed. "And I'll call you and skype you all the time, I promise." Technology was now the norm at Hogwarts, with PotterCo and Stark Industries combined supplying magic-safe electronics. Harry was envious of all the students attending his alma mater who could type up their essays instead of writing them with quill and parchment.

"Come here, princess," Tony murmured, easing his daughter from Luke's grasp, while Happy ducked around to pick up Becky. "I know you're gonna miss him, sweetie; we all will. But you have to be a big girl and let him go, okay? He's going to learn so much, and make so many new friends, and then before you know it it'll be your turn to go with him." Harry swallowed harshly, not wanting to imagine his baby girl off to Hogwarts. Merlin, he was getting old.

"But what if he makes too many new friends there and doesn't come home?" she protested, tears streaming from her eyes. Tony stroked her jet black hair, kissing her forehead. Once again, their child had come out looking more like Tony than Harry, though unlike Luke, Sophia had also inherited her papa's gorgeous brown eyes. She was already an expert at the puppy-eyes, and Harry dreaded her becoming a teenager and using them to persuade him to buy her clothes and let her go out with friends and on dates. He and Tony were so whipped by both of their children it was a little bit pathetic.

"That's not gonna happen, baby girl. He could make all the friends in the world and still want to come home to us, won't you, pup?" Luke nodded earnestly, reaching up to squeeze his sister's hand.

"Of course; every holiday, I'll be home, I swear. Then you'll have to fill me in on all the cool things I miss out on by being at school. Remember, you're gonna get to start learning gymnastics with Aunt Tasha! You can show me everything she's taught you when I'm home." Natasha had wanted to start her on martial arts, but Harry had refused, so gymnastics was an acceptable substitute. As much as he wanted his kids to learn to defend themselves, he didn't want them becoming superheroes before they were even out of school. He honestly didn't know how Spiderman's guardians coped with it.

"I'll miss you," Sophia murmured, reaching down to hug her brother. Luke kissed her nose, smiling.

"Time will fly," he assured. "And I bet you'll have loads more fun with Emily and Becks now I won't be around to spoil things," he teased, making her giggle wetly.

"You need to get on the train, pup," Harry said softly, and Luke nodded, jaw squared in a way that Harry knew meant he was trying hard not to give in to tears himself. The boy made his rounds, making sure to hug every single person goodbye, even Thor and Jane's six month old daughter Freya. Finally, he made it back to his parents, his cheeks a little wet. Kneeling down, Harry brought him into a tight hug, swallowing the lump in his throat. He would wait to cry until he got home. "Have fun," he said softly. "And don't spend all day holed up in the library. Don't blow up the potions' labs, no experimenting without permission from your professors, and—"

"I know, Dad," Luke cut in, smiling. "You've told me all this a million times."

"Yes, well, one more can't hurt," Harry teased in reply, kissing his forehead. "Call us after the sorting, yeah? We'll want to know how it goes."

"Even if I'm a Hufflepuff?" the boy asked warily. Harry snorted, leaning in closer, his hands on Luke's shoulders.

"Lucas Anthony James Stark, there is _nothing_ wrong with being a Hufflepuff. Your papa and I will love you no matter what house you're in, alright? We're both _so_ proud of you, pup. Nothing will change that." Luke grinned, throwing his arms around his father's neck.

"Love you, Dad. I'll miss you, and Papa, and everyone else."

"I know you will, but you'll see us in holidays, and you'll make loads of new friends at Hogwarts. You'll love it." He kissed his hair one last time, before straightening up and taking Sophia from Tony, running his fingers through her hair while his husband crouched to talk to their son. The others had all stepped back to give them some privacy, trying to soothe the fussing kids, and the Weasley group were saying goodbye to Victoire before she ran off with her Gryffindor friends. Harry couldn't hear what Tony was saying, but they both looked serious, their faces so identical it made Harry smile. His son really was a handsome little bugger. Half his 'cousins' seemed to have crushes on him, especially Emily — something the adults all secretly found hilarious and adorable in equal measure.

Eventually, Tony pulled Lucas close, hugging him and kissing his temple, before letting him go. "You all set, pup?" Harry asked, and the boy nodded determinedly. Steve helped him get his trunk on the train, whispering something in his ear that made him grin, and before Harry knew it he was watching his son disappear into the train, in search of a compartment. Tony hugged him from behind, kissing the back of his neck.

"He'll be fine," he murmured. "He's a smart kid. Whichever house he ends up in, he'll do great." They were both expecting Ravenclaw, but wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in any of the other houses. The rest of their household thought they didn't know about the betting pool over it, but they did.

"I know, I know. But Merlin, I'll miss him." He kissed Sophia's hair, holding her tightly and leaning back into Harry.

"You okay, Harry?" Bruce asked in concern, brow furrowed. Harry managed a smile, nodding.

"Yeah. Blimey, they grow up fast, don't they?" he remarked with a faint laugh, and the man grinned.

"Tell me about it; I can't believe it'll be Em next year."

"Please don't remind me," Remus groaned, burying his face in his partner's shoulder. Bruce chuckled, tugging him up into a kiss.

"We can adopt another," he pointed out, only half-joking. They'd been talking about it for a while, getting progressively more serious as time went on, and Harry knew it was only a matter of months before they started looking. It had taken a while to bring Bruce around on the idea of kids — he was sure he was too dangerous, that he would Hulk out and hurt them — but after pointing out how brilliant he was with Luke, the man had found it hard to say no.

As steam began to billow from the chimney at the front of the train, Harry spotted Luke sticking his head out of a window, waving furiously at them. There was another boy at his side who looked about the same age; he'd made a friend already, by the looks of it. "God, he's _so_ your son," he muttered to Tony, who laughed.

"Damn proud of it," the American replied smugly. The large group watched until the train was well out of sight, and eventually Harry turned away, looking at his friends.

"You're going to be on edge until he calls tonight, aren't you?" Steve mused knowingly. Unable to deny it, Harry nodded, smiling.

"Like you all won't be," he teased in reply. Turning to start saying his goodbyes to the Weasley contingency, promising to come visit and have dinner and have them over far more often than he did currently, Harry just wanted to go home and cry for a bit and play with his daughter and the other kids, and then cuddle up with Tony and his family and watch a movie. He was excited for Luke, being at Hogwarts, but he hadn't expected for it to hit him so hard to say goodbye.

Opening his mouth to declare that they should start heading out, Harry was cut off by a series of bleeps, and he groaned as each of the Avengers pulled a comm device with a flashing red light from their pockets. "Rogers," Steve greeted shortly, answering his. "Yes sir, we're on our way." Hanging up, he turned to the group with a rueful smile. "Duty calls, guys. Exploding squid aliens on Coney Island."

"That's disgusting," Natasha declared, a grimace on her face. Calling hurried goodbyes to everyone they hadn't yet said it to, the group hurried off the platform, running for the jet parked discreetly on a roof nearby. Harry held Sophia securely as he ran, a grin tugging unwillingly at his lips.

Just another day with the Avengers.


End file.
